Key Takeaways:
- Two burrowing owls stowed away on a cruise ship from Miami and are currently living at a Spanish resort
- The owls, a threatened species in Florida, were spotted by crew members on the ship’s Central Park area and were eventually caught and handed over to Spanish officials
- The owls will be repatriated to the US next month and released back into the wild after a assessment and re-assimilation period
- The owls’ fares back to the US will be paid for by the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida
- Burrowing owls are ground-dwelling birds that typically prefer rural landscapes and a diet of small reptiles, birds, frogs, and rodents
Introduction to the Story
The story of two burrowing owls that stowed away on a cruise ship from Miami and are currently living at a Spanish resort is a fascinating one. According to biologists from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the mating pair boarded Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas before its transatlantic crossing to Cartagena in southern Spain in February. The tiny owls, a threatened species in Florida, usually prefer more rural landscapes, and may have been spooked by the concrete around the Port of Miami. It is likely that they were attracted to the ship’s lush Central Park area, which features over 12,000 plants, and saw it as a potential refuge.
The Owls’ Journey
The owls were spotted by crew members a short distance into the 14-day voyage, and were eventually caught using nets and handed over to Spanish officials at docking. They have been quarantined since the spring at the Cites wildlife rescue center in Murcia, 30 miles north of Cartagena, in readiness for their repatriation as soon as mid-January. Natalie Montero-McAllister, FWC’s imperiled species policy administrator, said that the owls are ground-dwelling and spend most of their time in ground burrows or large, open areas. For this reason, she said, they might have been confused by the vast expanses of metal on board the ship, and an absence of their regular diet of small reptiles and birds, frogs, and rodents.
Life on the Cruise Ship
The owls’ experience on the cruise ship must have been bewildering, according to Montero-McAllister. The ship’s Central Park area, with its lush greenery, may have been a comforting space for the owls, but it is unclear why they chose to board the ship in the first place. Crew members snagged both birds in nets after passengers reported seeing them among the greenery, and in other areas of the ship including the solarium and miniature golf course. The owls were fed and watered by crew members using "expert guidelines", and one of the owls even escaped and returned to the green space before being recaptured shortly before the ship docked in Spain.
Previous Incidents
The globetrotting owls are not the first to have attempted an overseas voyage from Miami. In 2023, a burrowing owl was spotted on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, perched on exit signs, peeking through planters, and resting along railings. The bird was eventually captured by crew members and FWC workers, and returned to the wild after a short stay at the South Florida Wildlife Center in Fort Lauderdale. This incident highlights the fact that burrowing owls are capable of adapting to new environments, and that they may be more resilient than previously thought.
Repatriation and Release
The owls returning from Spain will be similarly released once they are deemed fit for travel, and after an assessment and re-assimilation period at a Florida facility under the care of the federal agriculture department. Montero-McAllister said that the owls will be released to another area that they are likely familiar with, since they came from somewhere in Miami. The Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida, the charitable arm of FWC, will pay for the owls’ ticket home and their care. Tindl Rainey, the group’s director of conservation, said that the foundation is delighted to help pay for the owls’ ticket home and their care, and that they are glad to help get them safely back to a burrow in Florida.
Conclusion
The story of the two burrowing owls that stowed away on a cruise ship from Miami is a remarkable one, highlighting the adaptability and resilience of these birds. Despite the challenges they faced on the ship, the owls were able to survive and even thrive, thanks to the efforts of the crew members and wildlife officials. Their repatriation and release back into the wild will be a welcome outcome, and will provide valuable insights into the behavior and ecology of these fascinating birds.
