BRANDON, Fla. — A great horned owl that was found last week after it went missing from the Raptor Center of Tampa Bay has passed away.
The center posted on Facebook Friday morning that the owl, known as Charlie, passed away unexpectedly overnight.
While he was scheduled to have a blood infusion, the center said according to a veterinary medicine book, emaciated birds may do well for a few days before dying unexpectedly.
"Charlie was a very special bird. If we had been able to find him after the first sighting, I know we could’ve saved him," the post read. "Monica, a new volunteer, texted, 'Charlie did something I never thought could be done. Charlie taught thousands about helping wildlife. He got people speaking who never spoke before, enemies sharing a common bond and goal. He touched so many lives.'"
Charlie disappeared from his enclosure in Brandon during Tropical Storm Debby earlier this month. Nancy Murrah, the center's founder, said she had cared for the owl since he was six weeks old.
He was rescued four years ago when a stray cat clawed his eye, which blinded him in his right eye.
"If you ever see an injured bird on the ground, please call a wildlife rehab right away," the post continued. "And if you ever see a bird that has leather straps around its ankles, you know it belongs to some organization or somebody. Please reach out to your local animal groups."
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