Surrey wildlife centre 'inundated' with abandoned owlets

A wildlife rescue centre says they have been inundated with abandoned owls rescued from across Surrey and South London.

The Wildlife Aid Foundation in Leatherhead is currently looking after 15 orphaned tawny owlets.

Each of the owls had fallen from their nest and either been bought in by members of the public or abandoned by their parents.

They will be released back to the wild in July when they are big enough to fend for themselves.

The centre have also been looking after over 75 ducklings, which is a record number,

On Sunday (30 May) it took in another 50 patients and answered over 60 emergency calls.

The charity say they are experiencing their busiest year so far and are asking for donations.

In the past week rescuers have plucked a family of badgers from a sewage plant, pulled eight ducklings from a drain on a busy roundabout, and retrieved a family of jackdaws from a chimney.

This little guy needed a bit of help after being found abandoned with an apparent constriction injury to one leg. Whilst still bright, this required further treatment and it is currently recovering here at the centre. #duckling pic.twitter.com/CVEg8kWhaa

— Wildlife Aid (@wildlifeaid) June 1, 2021

CEO Simon Cowell is appealing for donations to help look after the owls:

“We’ve never seen anything like it. It seems that no sooner have we dealt with one call-out than another comes through to the switchboard.

"We are filling up very quickly and our running costs are rocketing. We receive no statutory funding and rely on public donations so any help people can give will make a huge difference and allow us to keep saving Britain’s precious wildlife and return these wonderful birds of prey to the wild.”