Eco-warrior retirees at Settlers Rest Retirement Village joined forces with Caring Owls NPO this time last year to provide a safe home for rescued and endangered birds as part of these senior citizen’s mission to protect our local environment.
Since 2022, Settlers Rest residents have been hard at work trying to conserve 3ha of coastal forest that runs through the property, called The Valley. Their efforts have restored the land to habitat for indigenous trees, hundreds of bird and insect species and indigenous flowers.
Their most recent project saw Settlers Rest work with Chris ‘the Owl Man’ Pretorius from Caring Owl to rehabilitate and release spotted eagle owls and endangered crowned cranes into a specially designed ecosystem on the retirement village’s grounds.
The initiative is not only aids wildlife preservation but also fosters a renewed sense of purpose and connection to nature among the elderly residents.
The two crowned cranes and two spotted eagle owls that were released arrived at Caring Owl in poor shape due to human interference.
It was only after months of intense rehabilitative effort that they were considered well enough to be released.
Pretorius said the birds’ injuries were caused by car accidents, poisoning, habitat destruction and even muti harvesting.
Pretorius said: “After months of careful rehabilitation, they were ready to be released.”
The grounds at Settlers Rest, particularly the remnants of the centuries-old coastal forest, provide an ideal environment for the birds.
Resident Rob Henderson says the residents have long been inspired by the work Pretorius is doing to care for hundreds of vulnerable animals and they are honoured that he consented to allow them to provide a new home for the four birds.
Henderson said: “This initiative was inspired by a genuine respect for the earth. The birth of a bird, the growth of a tree, the changing of seasons bring joy and remind us of the beauty we still have.
“We wanted to work with Chris [Pretorius] to provide a safe home for these rehabilitated birds, not out of commercial interest but to give back to nature that has given us so much. As human beings, we’ve done so much harm to the environment through building homes and roads, polluting rivers and cutting into natural spaces.
“We’re not investing in conservation as a business. Humans have come here and disturbed what was already perfectly balanced and now, at Settlers Rest, we are doing what we can to restore it,” Henderson said.
Henderson believes the initiative sets an example of what can be achieved at community level when people make conservation a priority.
The four birds are frequently seen at The Valley and are source of pride and wonder for the residents.
With more rehabilitated animals expected to join the ecosystem, Henderson believes Settlers Rest is becoming not just a place to retire, but a sanctuary where life, for humans and the environment, continues to thrive.
