CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office saved a baby owl from oncoming traffic Tuesday morning.
Deputies say that at around 8:30 a.m., Detective Smith found an Eastern Screech Owlet in the middle of a Clearwater parking lot. He moved the owlet to a safer nearby location and waited for a parent to return, but no adult came back.
Smith then contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for help. An FWC officer arrived and took the owlet to a raptor rehabilitation center for care.
Deputies would like to advise the public that if young wildlife appears orphaned, observers should watch from a distance for parental presence. However, if immediate danger is present, moving the animal to safety is appropriate, and local wildlife rehabilitation centers should be contacted for help.
"He was a great inspiration to all of us, but especially I would say those that are in the minorities"
Catholics across the Tampa Bay Area are remembering the life and legacy of Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88. Father Len Plazewski, the Pastor of Christ the King Church in South Tampa, thinks his legacy will be one of joy.
