An Injured Owl in the Middle of Nowhere and a Man Who Drove the Distance to Get It Help

When a Marsh owl was found severely injured in remote Tsakane, Enrico went the extra mile, driving out himself when Ubers couldn’t reach the area, to ensure the bird got the life-saving vet care it desperately needed.

Tsakane, South Africa (25 May 2026) – Enrico De Giovanni of the South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (SAWRC) found himself smack bang in the middle of Tsakane on urgent business recently, casually navigating the busy township like it was just another day at the office.

And then, because wildlife rescue apparently refuses to believe in “convenient timing”, Enrico spotted a tiny Marsh owl sitting injured against a barbed wire fence in all the chaos.

The poor little owl had suffered a transverse fracture of the humerus. According to SAWRC, a very serious injury at that, and needed urgent attention.

“Now ordinarily, we’d unleash one of our trusted rescue superheroes (otherwise known as Uber drivers with nerves of steel and saint-level patience) to collect the patient. But this rescue came with one small complication,” SAWRC said.

The area Enrico had found himself in had no physical address or landmarks.

“Just somewhere in the middle of nowhere, in the centre of Tsakane, where all GPS go and cry softly in a corner.”

Enrico eventually decided the fastest and safest option was to personally load the battered little Marsh owl into the car and race it through to Selpark Veterinary Clinic, where Dr Garith Newby was waiting to provide emergency TLC.

“Mission accomplished. Owl safely delivered. Most people would then go home, pour a strong coffee, and emotionally process the fact that they’d just rescued an owl from a crime scene.”

But not Enrico.

He headed straight back into the heart of Tsakane to continue with what needed to be done – as though detouring to save wildlife between chaos is perfectly normal behaviour.

“Enrico… you are an absolute legend,” the SAWRC team praised.

“Thank you for stepping in for this beautiful Marsh owl when it needed help the most. Because of your quick thinking and kindness, this owl now has an excellent chance of making a full recovery and one day returning to the wild where it belongs.”

The Marsh owl will undergo surgery, where an external fixator will be placed onto the wing to stabilise the fracture and give it the best possible chance to heal properly.

They say it takes a village to raise a child; in this case, it took one to save a poor Marsh owl, too!

“With Marsh owl numbers sadly declining, every single one saved matters enormously. This little owl hit the jackpot with the humans it encountered that day.”

Sources: South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

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