Press room

The owl chick, born from an unrecoverable couple at the Zoo, has been trained for five months in Brinzal center for its subsequent liberation in Madrid mountains range.

Madrid, 25th October 2.018.- Within the framework of the agreement for the recovery of nocturnal birds signed by Parques Reunidos Foundation in collaboration with the reference center Brinzal, a chick of Eurasian eagle owl, born in the facilities of Zoo Aquarium de Madrid and trained in Brinzal, has been liberated in the mountains range of Madrid.

The little chick, sponsored on its first flight by the meteorologist and TVE presenter "Aquí la tierra", Jacob Petrus, is a 7-month-old Eurasian eagle owl born from a pair of unrecoverable specimens seized and handed over to the Zoo in 2013 by the Endangered Species Recovery Center of Malaga (CREA) of the Junta de Andalucía for breeding, environmental education and research purposes. In June, with two months of life, he was transferred to Brinzal where he received the necessary care of a couple of wet nurses, and after muscle-building and training classes to learn to hunt, today he has begun a new life in Hoyo de Manzanares.

His introduction into the wild by Brinzal, in collaboration with Zoo Aquarium de Madrid and Parques Reunidos Foundation, was a very special moment that the presenter Jacob Petrus described as "a great honor" to be able to experience it in the first person.

Accompanied by the technical team of Zoo and Brinzal, Petrus has emphasized the role of zoos in today's society as key players in the preservation of endangered species and in making possible this type of in situ conservation actions of native species such as the Eurasian eagle owl. For its part, Parques Reunidos Foundation thanked the support of the presenter and the important role of the media in publishing actions such as these about the work of zoological institutions in today's society.

The agreement signed in 2017 between Parques Reunidos Foundation and Brinzal aims to financially support the operation, technical and veterinary maintenance that this center specialized in the recovery of nocturnal birds of prey carries out for promoting in situ conservation of certain native species, reintroducing them into the wild after concluding the process of attention and training, as it was the case of Bio, last year, and little Jacob, as he has been named, in 2018.

About Brinzal

Brinzal is a non-profit environmental defense association dedicated to the study and conservation of nocturnal birds of prey. Established in 1986, its main activity is framed within the field of wildlife rehabilitation. Founded more than 30 years ago, the Recovery Center for Nocturnal Birds of Prey is the only one specialized in this group of birds that develops its work in Spain.

About Zoo Aquarium in Madrid

Zoo Aquarium de Madrid is a zoo that has more than 4.000 animals of 500 different species along its 22 hectares distributed in five continents. In collaboration with Parques Reunidos Foundation and within the framework of EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) about 60 EEPs (European Endangered Species Programs) are carried out as a direct contribution to the conservation of endangered species throughout in situ and ex situ projects and educational activities aimed at raising awareness, respecting the animal kingdom and caring for the environment.

Full video of the liberation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3iCoYJ4otlY

More information:

María José Luis

comunicacion@zoomadrid.com

Tf. 91 5123770-ext. 1403

Casa de Campo, s/n

28011 Madrid