Johnston County Parks and Recreation Staff Rescue Owl on Neuse River

For Immediate Release: June 13, 2023

Smithfield, NC – Staff from the Johnston County Parks and Open Space Office along with the Public Information Office were out canoeing the Neuse River working on an upcoming video project this past Friday. Halfway through the trip, the group spotted a barred owl hanging from a tree. Upon closer examination, staff realized that the owl was tangled up in fishing line and had likely been stuck for quite some time.

Thanks to some quick work and the trusty pocket knife of Parks and Open Space Grant Coordinator, Austin Cross, the owl was safely removed from the tree and all of the fishing line was removed from its wings. The team also pinged their location to a local owl rescue and conservation group so a specialist could come check on our fatigued, feathery friend.

To view the full video of the rescue, head over to our facebook page or visit our youtube channel.

For more information on our Parks and Open Space office visit JohnstonNC.com/Parks and don't forget to clean up that fishing line next time you're out on the water!