HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – “Charlie is home,” said the Raptor Center of Tampa Bay (RCTB) Monday. Charlie was found less than a mile away from the house in Watkins Glenn, according to RCTB.
A homeowner saw him in the backyard Monday morning, shared the information with her friend, and notified us.
“We were able to walk right up and pick him up. He is now back home. A lot thinner, but looks OK,” said RCTB on Facebook.
The Raptor Center of Tampa Bay was desperately searching for Charlie, the 4-year-old Great Horned Owl who escaped his enclosure during Tropical Storm Debby on August 5th. Charlie is blind in one eye, unable to hunt, and his survival in the wild is at serious risk.
He was last seen on Tuesday morning in the Providence Lakes subdivision in Brandon. Despite extensive searches, including thermographic imaging, Charlie has not been found.
He is likely growing weaker and may be on the ground.
Charlie is a Great Horned Owl who has gone missing. He may be confused with the many Barred Owls in the area, but you can identify him by:
- Bright yellow eyes
- Leather straps with small leashes around his ankles
- His distinctive “hoot hoot” call (Barred Owls sound like they’re saying “who cooks for you”)
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