POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Polk County firefighters found themselves needing some extra protection over the weekend, not for a blazing fire, but the razor-sharp talons of an owl stuck in a tree.
On Sunday, PCFR and the Raptor Center of Tampa Bay responded to an owl stuck at the top of a towering palm tree. A direct lightning strike split the palm open and exposed the dense, tangled fibers inside. An unsuspecting owl then got caught up in the mangled tree and couldn’t free itself.
So, a few firefighters, armed with thick gloves and a towel, climbed the ladder up to assist the struggling raptor.
Based on photos shared by PCFR, the bird appears to be a barred owl, which can be found across Florida and the Eastern U.S…