Burrowing owls displaced as construction continues in Cape Coral neighborhood
A building project near NE 19th Place and NE Fifth Street is taking the place of about six nests.
A building project near NE 19th Place and NE Fifth Street is taking the place of about six nests.
CAPE CORAL, Fla. – Construction projects will soon take the place of more than a dozen burrowing owls wandering in a Cape Coral neighborhood.
A building project near NE 19th Place and NE Fifth Street is taking the place of about six nests.
“To me, it’s very heartbreaking because we care about the owls,” said Larry Krantz, a neighbor in the area.
Some wonder if the builders knew about the burrows.
“We just thought that it was illegal. That they couldn’t just tear out the nest like that,” said Cape Coral resident, Terry Lockley.
Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission say the project is legal. Records on the property show a wildlife agent safely removed the nests with permission from the state.
Local wildlife experts say peak nesting season lasts through July.
“The only way we are going to save these owls and keep those numbers up, keep them from getting in danger is when people start putting [burrows] on the front yards,” said Pascha Donaldson, Vice President of Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife.
Neighbors began digging and some owls took to their new nests Saturday night.
“It’s overwhelming the people that really care,” said Krantz.