VELDDRIF -After eight years of rescuing and rehabilitating injured and orphaned wildlife, the Owl Orphanage in Velddrif will close its doors.

Founder Jacques Nel announced the difficult decision, describing it as the result of nearly 18 months of mounting financial pressure that has made it impossible to continue operating.

“This is not a decision I made overnight,” Nel said. “For the past year and a half, I have been fighting to keep the centre alive, but the financial burden has simply become too much.”

The rehabilitation centre, which serves the Cape Town, Swartland and West Coast regions, has become a lifeline for injured owls, raptors, blue cranes and other wild birds. However, Nel said the costs of operating a wildlife rehabilitation facility far exceed what many people realise.

“People see the birds, but they don’t see the permits, paperwork, rescue vehicles, fuel, medical treatment, staff salaries and the countless hours spent raising funds instead of caring for wildlife,” he said.

According to Nel, the centre’s operating costs range between R40 000 and R50 000 a month during the quieter months, while expenses during the breeding season can reach between R600 000 and R700 000.

Despite extensive fundraising efforts, including appeals to local and international companies, email campaigns and social media drives, support has steadily declined.

Nel said the centre has now stopped accepting new admissions because he can no longer guarantee that incoming birds will receive the care needed to complete their rehabilitation.

“I cannot, in good conscience, take in another injured bird if I don’t know whether I’ll have the funds to see its rehabilitation through.”

The facility will continue caring for its current patients for the next one to two months while funds last. Two long-term patients will be transferred to Betty’s Bay, while birds currently undergoing soft release will be released where possible.

Nel warned that the closure leaves a significant gap in wildlife care on the West Coast.

“There is no nearby facility that can simply absorb the number of birds we handle. Without rehabilitation, many injured birds will either be euthanised, end up in inexperienced hands or enter the illegal pet trade.”

He believes wildlife rehabilitation organisations receive far less support than domestic animal welfare groups despite playing a critical role in protecting biodiversity.

During its eight years of operation, the Owl Orphanage has rehabilitated countless injured birds, established partnerships with conservation organisations and government departments, built two rehabilitation centres, launched the West Coast Seal Project and conducted environmental education programmes throughout the region.

Although devastated by the closure, Nel says he has not given up on wildlife conservation.

“If sustainable funding can be secured, I will continue this work. The environment is already under immense pressure, and without support for conservation organisations, we risk losing far more than people realise.”