Mountain View city leaders are issuing a warning to golfers after a pair of burrowing owls were found dead on a golf course.
The burrowing owl is a protected species. Several of them live near the Shoreline Golf Links in Mountain View.
The city says, in March, the owls were trapped in their burrow when a bottle was shoved into its opening. The bottle contained seeds and sand used by golfers to repair divots.
Both owls died of starvation and dehydration. It happened back in March, but city officials only announced the news this week.
"We are so puzzled, as nothing like this has ever happened in the past," the city’s wildlife biologist told the Mountain View Voice.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife is investigating while the golf course informs golfers to stay clear of the owls.
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A surveillance camera is in place to monitor another pair of owls in the area.
