Tree Removal Workers Discover Owl Inside Hollow Tree

Occurred on March 8, 2007 / West Branch, Iowa, USA

Info from Licensor: "The city of West Branch asked us to remove a very hollow and hazardous tree that had been losing limbs over a busy sidewalk and street. During the removal, I noticed a very large hollow cavity about 50-feet in the tree that I suspected to be the home of some type of an animal. Carefully peeking in with a flashlight I could see a pair of eyes. Not wanting to just cut down this large portion of the tree and kill or harm the animal, I carefully cut the cavity in half knowing that the animal was in the portion of the tree that would remain standing. I was shocked to see a younger owl that was surprisingly docile that allowed us to gently pick it up and bring it down to safety. Not wanting to put it in the bushes for stray cats or dogs to find and eat, we called the Iowa Department of Natural Resources who sent an employee out to take care of the owl. They said they would finish raising it and place it in an education program that went around to schools teaching elementary kids about animals! It was a super rewarding experience!"