Owl be back: Escaped bird returns to wildlife park

A European eagle owl that went missing from a wildlife sanctuary in Cornwall has been lured back by his favourite meal - chicken and mice.

Keepers at Paradise Wildlife Sanctuary in Hayle had asked for help in the search for Frank after he flew off during training for a display on 26 March.

It is the second time Frank has escaped from the park after he went missing for four days in 2022.

Eagle-eyed residents spotted the owl in the grounds of Hayle Academy and keeper Sarah-Jayne Cook said he was rewarded with a bite to eat after returning to her.

Director Nick Reynolds said the team had been training Frank inside the aviary for flying displays but it had been time to further the training outdoors.

He told BBC Radio Cornwall: "You have to make that leap and say 'right, we're going to let him out today'.

"So we did that, we let him out for the first time and he didn't want to go where we wanted him to go - and he was off."

The park said the assistance of residents was "invaluable" after the battery in Frank's GPS tracker died.

Ms Cook said he was checked after his two-night adventure and would be quarantined for 30 days in line with bird flu regulations.

His latest adventure was less eventful than his 2022 escape when he returned to the park after being "mobbed and chased" by seagulls.

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].