Say hello to Olive the Owl! She is a bit bigger and darker than Otis and doesn’t like to talk quite as much.
Olive is also a Great Horned Owl and was brought to MRWC in 2019. She had been separated from her family after they left the dangerous area they had nested in. She was also kept as a second education owl as Otis needed help with all the presentations he is asked to attend. Olive is not imprinted like Otis, but is socialized. She knows she is an owl but is comfortable with and enjoys the company of people.
Olive is a girl and weighs 3 lbs. She could also live to 40 years. Great Horned Owls are our Provincial Bird and are the most commonly seen owl in Alberta. They are named for their ear tufts (not actually ears). They eat rodents, hares, skunks, bats, and even other birds. These owls stay with the same mate for life and remain in a single territory. They see well in low light but rely mainly on their sense of hearing. The name “Olive" means "peace”.