A Jewish National Fund (JNF) employee found a horned owl that was hit by a car on a Golan Heights road, and the bird was suffering a leg and a head injury that caused it to lose sight.
The owl was transferred to a rehabilitation center of the JNF, and after its condition was stabilized, it began to receive treatment to reduce the edema in its brain that caused it blindness.
After an eye exam showed that they were unharmed, all it was left was to wait for the treatment and to reduce the pressure on the optic nerve, and after about a week the owl regained his sight.
This week, the owl was released back to nature after its vision was fully restored.
Dr. Rona Nadler-Valency, a veterinarian and director of the Agamon Rehabilitation Center, said: “The horned owl is a very impressive nocturnal raptor. Toward spring, is the owl's activity grows as they seize territories and mating."
"Unfortunately, we find a lot of injured owls on the roads. Israelis must remember that we share our world with wildlife and we need to drive carefully during the dark and in general."
Like most nocturnal raptors, the owls in Israel are wounded due to poisoning, electrocution, hunting, and destruction of their nests. Unlike other large prey species, it shows flexibility and adaptability that allows it to quickly recover from such events and populate rural areas and fertilized habitats.