Increase Textsize Decrease Textsize   Email to a friend

Life's a hoot for surprise pair

Thursday, August 21, 2008

© The Cairns Post

 

THEY are cute, fluffy, plump and their big eyes draw you in.

Ten-week old Kari and Ash are the newest Lesser Sooty owls chicks at the Cairns Tropical Zoo.

The two hatched about five days apart and will join the public display in the Birds of Prey aviary in the next two weeks.

Click here to view more wildlife pictures in our Wildlife Photography Competition.

The zoo’s senior bird supervisor, James Biggs, said the main population of the owls was on the Tableland with smaller populations extending north to Cooktown.

"As soon as they are fully fleged and out of the hollow they’ll be on show," he said.

"They do have their own personalities just like any bird and Kari is a bit more dominant, but that’s probably because she’s a couple of days older."

The birds’ names were chosen from a hat out from names entered by wildlife keepers.

Mr Biggs said the chicks’ mother had kept her babies a well-hidden secret.

"The birth of these two birds came as a surprise to all of the birdkeepers because we thought the mother had broken her eggs as she had done on numerous occasions in the past," he said.

"She had apparently been hiding two very plump, fluffy grey chicks under her tail for an estimated three weeks."

 


<strong>Double vision: </strong>Newborn lesser sooty owl twins Kari and Ash with their mum at the Cairns Tropical Zoo. The pair’s birth came as a surprise to zookeepers who found them hidden under mum’s tail.

Double vision: Newborn lesser sooty owl twins Kari and Ash with their mum at the Cairns Tropical Zoo. The pair’s birth came as a surprise to zookeepers who found them hidden under mum’s tail.


also in
<strong>Perfect: </strong>A sunny day on Cairns Esplanade typifies the quality of lifestyle available in the Far North.

Lifestyle rating sinks Cairns

LOVERS of all that is great about Cairns have rubbished a quality of life survey that gave the city a poor rating. more

Missing man found

UPDATE: A MISSING 21-year-old man has been reunited with his family, the day after police launched an investigation into his disappearance. more

Bedside hearing

A MAN shot by police during a tense stand-off at Edmonton will face a host of criminal charges at a bedside hearing in Cairns Base Hospital this afternoon. more

<strong>Life sentence: </strong> William Logan, 20, of Palm Island, was found guilty of raping and murdering a 14-month-old girl in Cairns Supreme Court yesterday.

Baby killer, rapist locked up for life

A CAIRNS Supreme Court Justice warned society would not tolerate violence against children in handing down a life sentence to man who raped and murdered a 14-month-old girl. 
more

<strong>Obstruction: </strong>WorkCover's new building has an obstruction in its driveway.

Who parked a pole in driveway?

THIS really is pole position! more



Comments

See all comments >>

Comments

We welcome your comments on this story. Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Please provide your full name. We also require a working email address - not for publication, but for verification. The location field is optional. Read our publication guidelines.

Submit your feedback here:

Full name: Email address:
Location (optional):
Your comments:
(max 1200 characters)
  Remember my details

(So you don't have to retype your details each time you send feedback.)

 

Email me if my comment is published