Rising Screech Owl Fatalities On Sanibel
Eastern Screech Owl By Bruce Fulton, Via Creative Commons.
Eastern Screech Owl Fatalities On Sanibel Captiva Road.
City of Sanibel Natural Resources Department submitted the following in a memorandum to the City Council.
“An Island resident has recently brought to our attention a concerning number of Eastern screech owls (Megascops asio) hit by vehicles along the section of Sanibel Captiva Road between Mile Marker 5 (MM5, just west of Bowman’s Beach Road) and Mile Marker 7 (MM7, just east of the Blind Pass Bridge).
Eleven (11) screech owl deaths have been documented since October 24, 2014 and 35 within the last two years and six months. The resident has walked this stretch of road nearly every morning for 11 years.
The Natural Resources Department has reviewed a number of options to reduce Eastern screech owl mortality along Sanibel-Captiva Road, including signage, enhanced speed limit awareness/enforcement, and/or other education that might improve the outcome for Eastern screech owls on Sanibel.
Eastern Screech Owl, Proposed Temporary Signage For Sanibel Captiva Road.
Based on this review as well as input from the Police and Public Works Departments, the Natural Resources Department recommends the following immediate, short-term recommendation:
- A small number, four to six, of simple, inexpensive temporary signs attached to barricades in the right-of-way would bring immediate awareness of the owl activity in this area to drivers.
- Signs constructed on a brightly colored, reflective background with a message “Caution: Low-flying Owls at Night” might help to reduce the number of owl/vehicle collisions immediately while other alternatives are pursued.”
The Sanibel City Council tabled the issue for further discussion at the next council meeting.
Sanibel, Eastern Screech Owl Feature Image By Sheribeari, Via Creative Commons.
