Controversy: they move a family of vizcacheras owls for a recital

The barn owls They are small, long-legged birds that make their nests on the ground and even use empty burrows. For more than ten years, a family of them has inhabited an area of ​​the Sarmiento Parkin the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Saavedra, where the recital of Motley Crue and Def Leppard next March 9. Now, the Government of the City of Buenos Aires transfer the transfer of these birds to a reservoir and ended in controversy among the naturalists who care for and study them.

Since 2012, these nocturnal birds of prey, typical of the fields of the Pampas, have converged in the urban park, in the area conserved by the Project Urban Owls of Buenos Aires and by the Parque Sarmiento Athletic Association. Thanks to the care and construction of artificial caves carried out by the neighbors and the local birdwatching club, could successfully cry more than a dozen nestlings.

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Why the transfer of barn owls is not recommended

Laura Borsellino, specialist in biodiversity conservation and member of Lechucitas, explained that the reservoirs “are floodable” and this “makes them impossible” for a species that nests in holes in the floor. “We already studied that, they are also full of exotic trees, not the right habitat”, he added in dialogue with the media SaavedraOnline.

“They never consulted us about the transfer. We don’t agree at all, the animals are from there, inside the park there is no other suitable space“, justified against the decision of the Buenos Aires Ministry of Economic Development and Production to relocate them, since also considering that this area, close to the athletics track that is in the park, “not the ideal place”.

“We are going to work together with the Ministry of the Environment to move them -in safe conditions and in a way that they can be protected- to a natural reservoir found in the park. It is an area close to the current one but outside the track area”, they have confirmed from the Sports Secretariat, dependent on the aforementioned ministry, daily Clarion.

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From the project they insisted that they do not agree and would not enable the possible transfer, which should take place before March 1 for the preparation of the musical event. “What we ask is that they protect the nests, that the two sectors go down, Argentine birds Some even offered volunteers for the day of the recital to take care of these two spaces and also contribute information to the visitors”, said Borsellino.

“capturing them is violent. It is done with special permits and with people who know, with traps. For animals it is something traumatic. In addition, a sector would have to be repaired to move them, things that are not there ”, added the specialist.

From the Argentine civil entity without profit fines they also manifested themselves in this regard: “The owls are also part of this space. Respecting them is the first step to understand our relationship with nature in the city”.

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On the other hand, it is enabled that the existence of the barn owls of Parque Sarmiento is because relevant They could be the only ones of their kind with environmental management. In addition, there is no record of them in the Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve, nor in the North, although a couple has been seen near the Lake Lugano Ecological Reserve but no record is kept.

Other specialists pointed out that these places are not very conducive to these birds, since although there is a grassy area where they could make their nests, these coincide with the passage of many people. A construction of artificial caves was also carried out, but finally it ended up leaving.

PC FP