Artemis
(shown)

Name: Greek Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon
Date in: 2/22/93
Hatched: November 1992
Gender: Male
Age at arrival: 4 months
Came from: Lousiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo

Story: Artemis was misnamed. Because of his high weight we believed he was a female. His nest tree was cut down in Monroe, Louisana. There were six chicks in the tree and all were taken to the Louisana Purchase Gardens and Zoo. All six were raised together but the smallest two were severely socialized. Artemis was one of these two. He is not imprinted but he cannot hunt or take care of himself. Artemis was advertised in a non-releasable placement program which was intended to help restock Barn Owls in other parts of the United States. U.S. Fish and Wildlife determined that he would be of more benefit here as an education bird than in releasing him.

In the spring of 1994 he called in a female mate, at which time we correctly identified as a male. Atemis was released with his mate but returned five days later, begging for food. It was determined that he was unable to care for or feed himself or his mate. In spring 1996 he successfully fostered four barn owl chicks.