Life's a hoot for Folly Farm's Orbit the owl (From Western Telegraph)

Baby owl nurtured at Begelly's Folly Farm

3:50pm Friday 6th March 2009 in News

An abandoned baby barn owl has given loneliness the bird, thanks to two special friends.

Fluffy five-week-old Orbit doesn't give a hoot he was ignored in the nest, for he can now cuddle up to a furry toy owl.

It was bought for him by his surrogate mum, Lynsey Wood, who is head zookeeper at Folly Farm.

Lynsey has been hand-rearing Orbit since the first day of his life, and — like all busy mothers — needed something to keep her little chick occupied and happy.

"A friend suggested I got him the toy owl to keep him company," explained Lynsey, who got the furry friend from Folly Farm's shop.

“I thought he would try to eat it, but he’s really taken to it and just cuddles up.”

This is the second owl that Lynsey has hand-reared, as she raised Folly Farm’s resident tawny owl, Achilles, a few years ago.

"Orbit was very weak when we took the decision to hand-rear him, but he’s now doing really well," said Lynsey.

“Hopefully, he'll be strong enough to be on display to visitors to Folly Farm by the summer.

“For the moment, he's being kept warm in an incubator, and snuggles up to his toy owl for comfort."