In the heart of Arizona’s arid landscapes, a small owl peered out from a cardboard pet carrier, its large yellow eyes scanning the surroundings with cautious curiosity. The bird, a burrowing owl, had been rescued and was about to be released into a carefully designed habitat at Martin Farm, a 241-acre conservation area northwest of Tucson. The process was led by Wild At Heart, an animal rescue organization working tirelessly to save this increasingly threatened species.
Burrowing owls, once one of the most populous owl species in North America, have suffered significant population declines due to urban development and commercial farming. These birds, which evolved to inhabit abandoned burrows dug by prairie dogs and badgers, are now struggling to find homes. In Arizona, where the Phoenix metropolitan area continues to expand rapidly, industrial projects and solar farms have further fragmented the owls’ habitat.
The solution, pioneered by Wild At Heart, involves creating artificial burrows—underground shelters constructed from PVC piping and repurposed 55-gallon plastic drums. These structures mimic the owls’ natural habitats, providing a safe space for them to nest and reproduce. Volunteers place newly rescued owls in temporary enclosures covered by black shade cloth, where they remain for 30 days while adjusting to their new environment. Each day, they are provided with a diet of frozen mice to ensure they remain nourished during the transition.
This conservation effort traces its origins back to Bob and Sam Fox, a couple who transformed their passion for rescuing injured birds into a full-fledged rehabilitation center. In the early 1990s, Sam devised the idea of artificial burrows, recognizing that simply releasing displaced owls into the wild was not enough for their survival. Over the years, Wild At Heart has fine-tuned its methods, overcoming challenges such as predation by badgers and flooding from heavy rains.
Despite these advancements, releasing owls into new habitats remains a complex process. Initially, the organization housed multiple owls in a single enclosure, but researchers discovered this increased stress levels and led to abandoned eggs. The solution was to introduce owls in pairs and to stagger the enclosures across larger areas. Volunteers closely monitor the birds’ adaptation, providing additional food for a week after the tents are removed.
One of the biggest hurdles facing Wild At Heart is the sheer number of owls in need of relocation. The rapid expansion of urban and industrial projects in Arizona has displaced hundreds of burrowing owls annually. In recent years, even renewable energy projects, such as solar farms, have contributed to habitat loss. To address this challenge, the organization is partnering with companies like Longroad Energy, which has agreed to set aside thousands of acres for owl conservation.
The efforts appear to be paying off. Two months after a recent release at Martin Farm, biologist Jenohn Wrieden surveyed the area and spotted a family of burrowing owls, their young fledglings testing their wings in the open air. The sight was a hopeful sign that the conservation methods were working.
For Wild At Heart, the work is far from over. The organization continues to refine its approach, ensuring that burrowing owls can thrive in an increasingly developed landscape. With careful planning, collaboration, and innovation, conservationists are proving that even the desert’s most vulnerable creatures can be given a second chance.
