Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Owls take over high school football field
SUNRISE, Fla. (WSVN) -- One South Florida football team is unable to play or practice after two owls took over their field.
Gladys and Stan, a pair of burrowing owls, seem determined to take on Piper High School's football team, the Bengals. "If I was a football player, I would probably call the little endangered species people, and tell them that we need these owls to get out like ASAP," said Taleca Stone.
Students at Piper High are not too keen on these northern visitors. On Monday, the birds settled in on the 25 and 35 yard lines, and now the football team cannot play on the school's field. "In fact, they changed their home fields to make games away, soccer schedule has changed for both the boys and the girls," said Athletic Director Thomas Marante.
Most of the students said they were actually surprised when they first heard about what was happening on their own football field. "I think they should just put them somewhere else," said Martron.
Until the school figures out what to do with them, Gladys and Stan do have the upper hand under Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rules, which classify them as a species of special concern. "I think it would be better if they just take the owls safely, put them somewhere else, so we could play," said Alain Martron.
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