Verreauxs’ Eagle Owl
Scientific Name: Bubo lacteus Afrikaans Name: Reuse Ooruil Zulu Name: iFubesi
These are the largest sub-Saharan eagle-owls that can be identified by their distinctive sleepy pink eyelids. They live in savannah regions nesting in trees in the stick nests of other birds. Two eggs are laid but, like the big eagles they only raise one chick. Their diet consists of small mammals (including hedgehogs!), birds and even other owls.
The Verreaux’s Eagle Owls living at the Sanctuary are named Obed and Ophelia. A forester in Kakloof confiscated what he thought was a large bird carcass from a tramp who was walking down the road swinging it at his side. The carcass turned out to be Ophelia, a concussed owl that had been hit by a car. Amazingly she was still alive. With both broken wing & leg she was too badly damaged to be released so Obed was found at the Moholoholo Rehab Centre as a mate.