Tawny Owl Released to Wild After Ambulance Collision

An injured owl has been returned to its natural habitat after striking the top of an ambulance. Gilbert, a tawny owl, was left disoriented following the impact on the A361 near South Newington, Oxfordshire, several weeks ago. The South Central Ambulance Service reported that its crew contacted an out-of-hours veterinary professional and provided Gilbert’s precise what3words location. This action ensured the owl received the necessary care as swiftly as possible. The veterinarian confirmed that Gilbert had “fully recovered” and had been released. Gilbert was in mid-flight when it struck the ambulance as the vehicle was returning to its base during a night shift. What3Words is a free mobile phone application that assigns a unique three-word phrase to every three square meters of the world. It is adopted by over 85% of UK emergency services. BBC Oxfordshire can be followed on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.