Barn Owl Dies Covered In Cooking Oil

22 May 2014, 16:00

We're being asked to dispose of cooking oil responsibly, after a barn owl died, covered in the oil.

The adult Barn owl was brought into Feadon Farm Wildlife Centre at Gwel An Mor this week, by a runner who found it on the ground.

It was covered in cooking oil. Wildlife rangers think it spotted a container of oil in someone's garden, and tried to take a bath in it.

The oil clogged its feathers and made it impossible for it to keep warm, fly or hunt, causing it to get hypothermia and starve.

It died shortly after being brought into the wildlife centre.

Please note that this video may be upsetting for some viewers...

Barn Owls are very rare, and there are now only about 4,000 pairs in the UK. Sixy years ago there were thought to be around 30,000 pairs believed to be in the country.

Wildlife manager Gary Zammit says "the owl can't have come from far away so if you live anywhere near Green Lane in Portreath, please check your gardens and outdoor areas for anything that could contain the oil, so we can protect our beautiful local wildlife".

Cooking oil should not be left in open containers outside, it should be disposed of properly.