West Coast owl orphanage rescues thousands of birds in face of ‘so much cruelty’, huge costs

The rehabilitation centre is not open to visitors as the animals need a relaxing environment and as little human contact as possible. (Photo: Ashraf Hendricks)

By Ashraf Hendricks

30 Sep 2024

The birds of prey rehabilitation centre in Velddrif has gone from strength to strength, but challenges remain.

‘The nice part about what we do is the day that we actually release a bird,” says Jacques Nel, the founder of the Owl Orphanage Rehabilitation Centre. Situated in Velddrif alongside the Berg River, it is the only rehabilitation centre of its kind on the West Coast.

The centre relies on the SPCA and other vets to help with rescues and assessments. If there is any chance of recovery “they come to us”, says Nel. The main goal is to release animals back into the wild.

He has witnessed unspeakable cruelty to animals, and “80% of the time you do sad things”, says Nel, referring to euthanasia.

“There’s so much cruelty out there. No respect for wildlife… Just shoot it. Just poison it. Just kill it,” he says.

During peak season, the mouse bill for one month can be R24,000.

A big issue for birds is poison ingested when eating rodents. Other problems include the muti market, the illegal wildlife trade and snares.

Nel started the Owl Orphanage in 2018 in St Helena Bay. Originally, he planned to only focus on owls, but the need to help other wild animals soon became clear. “There was nobody else on the West Coast.”

His first rescue was a spotted eagle owl hit by a vehicle during the Christmas season. It took about two months to recover but was released back into the wild.

Nel is totally dedicated to the centre and its work. He doesn’t put his phone on silent at night as he often gets calls in the early hours, weekends and public holidays included.

Jacques Nel, founder of the Owl Orphanage in Velddrif, with a red-faced mousebird on his shoulder. (Photo: Ashraf Hendricks)

In 2022 the centre moved to larger premises on a farm in Velddrif. They now work with barn owls, sparrowhawks, booted eagles, waterfowl, buzzards, tortoises and small deer such as grysbok and steenbok. In the past year they’ve rehabilitated more than 480 birds of prey. Nel says that since starting they’ve possibly rehabilitated more than “2,000 birds”, although it’s difficult to know an exact number.

This place is for ‘the well-being of these animals, not for people or shows or making money out of them’.

Nel runs the Owl Orphanage with two staff members. The running costs are about R64,000 a month. The biggest expense is food, including seeds, grains and mice. Frozen mice cost between R10 and R13 each, and an owl can eat four every night. During peak season, the mouse bill for one month can be R24,000.

The centre relies on private funding, most of it from a single donor in the UK. “If it wasn’t for him, we would have had to close our doors,” says Nel.

Local support is thin, as the centre is private and day visitors are not allowed. This is to protect the animals from undue stress.

“Stress is the number-one killer,” says Nel. This place is for “the well-being of these animals, not for people or shows or making money out of them.”

The rehabilitation centre is not open to visitors because the animals need a relaxing environment and as little human contact as possible. (Photo: Ashraf Hendricks)

Looking ahead, Nel says the facility is growing in its “own direction” and they are looking to take in blue cranes next.

The centre needs money and materials, such as shade cloth, wood and poles.

He says they are working on community “talkathons” with other wildlife organisations on the West Coast, to educate the public about wildlife.

“It’s the only way we’re going to try and make an impact saving animals before there is a need for them to come to a place like ours.” DM

First published by GroundUp.

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