ASHEBORO, NC – Members of the Media and the General Public are invited to the North Carolina Zoo on World Owl Day, August 4 at 10:30am for the release of a newly rehabilitated barred owl. The release will take place at the Solar Pointe picnic area just outside of the Zoo’s North America entrance.

This owl is one of over 500 North Carolina native wild animals admitted to the Schindler Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at the North Carolina Zoo thus far in 2017. Found on the side of the road, this owl was brought to the center in June.  Throughout the rehabilitation process, the owl has been cared for by the zoo’s veterinary staff as well as the volunteers and interns that work at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. This month, the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center will be celebrating its 16 year anniversary, having admitted almost 15,000 animals since opening in 2001.

The time has come for the barred owl to be released into the wild and on Friday morning the release can be viewed in person or live-streamed on the North Carolina Zoo’s Facebook page. It should be a hoot!

        

About the North Carolina Zoo

The North Carolina Zoo provides an experience like no other zoo anywhere. With five miles of exhibits, nearly 1,600 animals and 52,000 plants it is the largest natural habitat zoo in the world and an international leader in wildlife conservation.

Find yourself surrounded by some of Africa’s giants including elephants, rhinos, and giraffes; share the love of gorillas with Mosuba and his six-member troop; watch polar bears Nikita and Anana take polar plunges every day at their Rocky Coast Exhibit; or join in the fun at the mud café in the Kidzone.

Located in the center of the state in Asheboro, it is convenient to visit from anywhere in North Carolina and surrounding states. The North Carolina Zoo welcomes over 850,000 guests each year. Plan your adventure at www.nczoo.org.

 

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources 

The North Carolina Zoo is an agency of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state’s natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. NCDNCR's mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state’s history, conserving the state’s natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.

NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, two science museums, three aquariums and Jennette’s Pier, 39 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C.  Zoo, the nation's first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, State Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, along with the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, please call (919) 807-7300 or visit www.ncdcr.gov.

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