You’ve heard of Grumpy Cat, but have you met Grumpy the foster owl?
Grumpy is the resident Great Horned Owl at B.C. Wildlife Park in Kamloops, who is now happily a foster mom to an orphaned, juvenile owl that lost everything — all of its siblings and nest — when their tree fell.
The rehab facility posted the heartwarming story to its Facebook page this month.
The young owl was assessed and stabilized before it was introduced to Grumpy.
“We’re pleased to see that Grumpy has accepted the juvenile and her natural protective instincts automatically kicked in!” the group explained.
However, entering the pen to feed and clean is a challenge for their care team.
“Grumpy is not shy to protect (aka ‘attack’),” officials said.
“Grumpy brings food, puts herself between the juvenile and anyone entering the pen, and is now perching with the juvenile,” they added.
Being raised by a foster owl reduces the chance the young bird will become imprinted on humans and increase its potential to survive in the wild.
The goal, after all, is for the young owl to eventually fledge, and be set free.
