What would you do if you found a stranded owl? Our Sundt Construction, Inc. and PCL Construction team put the question to the test when they discovered an owl stuck in a full tank of water on the construction site for SLC’s New Water Reclamation Facility. This barn owl was calmly swimming in the water, but wasn’t able to self-extricate. The contractor team jumped into action, deploying a crane-lifted basket to free the owl. The rescued owl was immediately taken to Wildlife Center of Salt Lake for care. After 5 days of observation, the owl was deemed healthy and successfully released.
Wildlife Center of Salt Lake said this: “In October 2024, the Wildlife Center of Salt Lake received a Barn owl (Tyto alba) that was rescued by Sundt-PCL staff after an entrapment incident at the construction site for Salt Lake City’s New Water Reclamation Facility. Staff were concerned about pneumonia and exhaustion complications due to the nature of the entrapment and the bird was kept for several days on medications and supportive care. After passing all release criteria, she was released back into her home habitat with some distance from the original entrapment and flew off (literally) into the sunset. Shortly after admission, Salt Lake City reached out to us to express concern for the bird to ensure her safety. We are honored to serve Salt Lake City and support our surrounding communities through wildlife rehabilitation and release and would like to thank Sundt-PCL’s employees as well as the City of Salt Lake for their actions and stewardship for wildlife.”
Conflicts between wildlife and humans are becoming more common these days. Our friends at Wildlife Center of Salt Lake are here to help anyone who might find themselves in a situation like this one.
