The burrowing owl is in trouble. The population of the bird species has been on a rapid decline, and the Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre, based in Moose Jaw, wants to reverse that decline by educating people about the small predators. They were part of the ecomuseum for a day at Saltcoats, giving students and adults to see a burrowing owl up close and learn about the endangered species.
Lori Johnson, Owl coordinator, says it’s urgent to get out and people and talk to people about the owls because if current trends continue, they could be extinct in 10-30 years. That’s part of the reason why reaching out to a young group, like the students at Saltcoats School, is so important, because it gets people thinking about conservation from an early age. She says kids are the key to keeping the burrowing owl protected, as they’re the ones who are going to have to make decisions in the future to keep the habitat protected.
“We want to be able to make that connection, and it helps to do it as young as possible, to reconnect with nature. Not just with burrowing owls, but the health and well being of our ecosystem.”
The owls themselves are mostly being affected by a habitat loss, as the large expanses of prairies where they used to live are steadily disappearing and pushing them into smaller and smaller places, Johnson explains. This also compounds other issues which might pop up, such as pesticide use, given that insects are the owls’ main food source. While focused on the owl, Johnson says that the decline in owl population has an impact that goes beyond one species.
“They are just one part of a healthy ecosystem, so it’s important to do this not only for burrowing owls, but all our native species.”
The main function of the owl in the ecosystem is natural pest control, Johnson says, and they can eat their weight daily in insects, as well eat plenty of rodents.
“A family of burrowing owls can quite easily control the population within that habitat. With everything in nature there’s a balance, and they do play a part in the food chain. When you see a loss of the top predators you get an imbalance. Everything has its place, and should be allowed to have its place and continue to benefit the ecosystem.”
It was a rare opportunity to see a burrowing owl up close and personal, with Johnson bringing Cricket along with her to show people. The owl was hand-raised to be an ambassador for the owls, and Johnson says they’ve taken that step in order to have a connection with the animals.
Johnson says that events like the ecomuseum for a day in Saltcoats are important ways to get people thinking about nature and the environment around them.
