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04 July 2025 | Story Martinette Brits | Photo Ruan Higgs, Van Tonder Photography, and Tanya Scherman
Barn Owl
A quiet presence with a powerful impact – the barn owls nesting in the UFS Sasol Library have become unexpected ambassadors for conservation, inspiring hands-on research, community care, and a deeper connection between people and nature.

High above the shelves and silent study spaces of the Sasol Library at the University of the Free State (UFS), a quiet conservation success story is unfolding. A pair of barn owls have been nesting in the library’s roof space – raising chicks, hunting on campus grounds, and becoming an unexpected symbol of ecological balance and cross-departmental collaboration.

More than just a charming tale of urban wildlife, their presence is also prompting reflection on the evolving purpose of academic spaces.

Prof Vasu Reddy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation, whose portfolio includes libraries, sees the owls as part of something much deeper. “If we consider Shakespeare’s play, All’s Well That Ends Well, then the presence of the owls in the Sasol Library confirms another meaning of that play.”

“Love,” Prof Reddy says, “is not always considered noble, but is something persistent, and our library is not just a building, but a living ecosystem where precious documents, people, and even animals can interact, shape, and nurture our lives.”

The owls had been observed roosting at the library since 2016, but their fate took a turn in 2023 when a distressed owl was spotted outside the building. Tanya Scherman from the Centre for Teaching and Learning was the first to respond. “It appeared that the owl had been poisoned, most likely secondary poisoning from a contaminated rodent,” she explains. That moment became the catalyst for a grassroots conservation initiative – one that brought together concerned staff, students, and wildlife researchers.

“I phoned around trying to find more knowledgeable people who could help,” says Scherman. “I consulted with a local vet, the Owl Rescue Centre in Pretoria, and Prof Francois Deacon from our Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. I wanted to know how we could keep the owls safe on campus.”

Prof Deacon, who lectures in the Department of Animal Sciences, immediately saw the potential. “As someone passionate about urban wildlife conservation, I saw a great opportunity – not just to support the owls, but to involve students in hands-on learning,” he says. “These projects offer rare chances to study natural animal behaviour in real time, outside the confines of a lab.”

Together with his postgraduate students, Ruan Higgs and Kaitlyn Taylor, the team assessed the owls’ behaviour and advised on the design of a suitable nesting structure. They also installed a motion-triggered, infrared field camera to monitor the owls’ activity safely and without disruption.

But first, the nesting box had to be built. That part of the project became unexpectedly personal. “I worked with my dad to build it,” says Scherman. “He’s an avid animal lover too, and we spent a weekend sawing, sanding, and assembling the box using a blueprint we found online.” With the help of Prof Deacon’s team, the completed structure was carried up into the roof space and secured on a ledge that the owls already favoured. “It was such a special moment to share with my family,” she adds.

 

A window into wildlife on campus

Scherman and Prof Deacon’s efforts have already yielded encouraging results. In 2023, a breeding pair successfully raised two owlets. “This year we found six eggs,” Scherman shares. “Of those, we are currently able to see three owlets.”

For Prof Deacon and his students, the camera has opened a window into the birds’ world. “It captures feeding events, chick development, and parental behaviour,” he explains. “This kind of passive monitoring is invaluable – it provides long-term data without human interference.” The footage has already formed the basis of student research into owl diet, chick growth, and even nesting material preferences – insights that could guide future conservation projects both at the UFS and beyond.

“These owls are teaching tools,” he says. “They bring textbooks to life for students studying ecology, animal behaviour, and sustainable land use.” He adds that the project also demonstrates how scientific knowledge can directly benefit local ecosystems. “It shows that biodiversity and human development can coexist with the right approach. Even a university library can become a habitat.”

Barn owls also play a practical ecological role on campus. “A single owl pair can eat hundreds of rodents in a breeding season, reducing the need for poisons and pesticides,” says Prof Deacon. And it’s not just rodents. “We found remains of small birds and insects in their regurgitated pellets,” Scherman notes, “which shows just how active and adaptive they are in an urban environment.”

Still, their survival is not guaranteed. Urban owls face risks ranging from road traffic to poisoning. “If you ever find an injured owl or have concerns, don’t try to help it yourself,” Scherman advises. “Rather contact Prof Deacon or me. We’re here to assist.”

“Awareness builds respect,” Prof Deacon adds. “When people know that these owls are quietly raising a family above their heads, it shifts how they interact with the space. We ask people to avoid making loud noises or using flash photography near the nesting site. Simple behaviours, such as keeping windows closed at night near the roost, go a long way towards protecting them.”

 

A library as a living ecosystem

As the project gained momentum, so did its symbolic weight across campus. Prof Reddy reflects on how a seemingly disruptive moment became something much more valuable:

“It is clear that what may be seen as a disruptive incident with an owl swooping into our library space is also a pedagogical and deeply conservation touchdown.”

For Prof Reddy “it inspires us to bring science and the love of books to become a teachable opportunity. If libraries are stereotypically perceived to be the quiet corner of academia, then our barn owl event tells us that our library is also a space where silence meets storytelling. The barn owls sparked a conversation about nature, knowledge, and care. It tells us that our library has become an ecosystem of compassion, where not simply books and knowledge matter, but where every creature’s story has a rightful place. This event has mobilised so many different parts of both the university and external communities. We are greatly inspired”.

 

Changing perceptions, protecting heritage

The project also touched on a deeper cultural significance. Owls are often misunderstood, linked to myths or fear in some communities. “It’s understandable,” Scherman says, “with their eerie calls, white faces, and ghost-like flight. But they are also messengers, protectors, and symbols of wisdom in many traditions.”

She believes education is key to changing these perceptions: “Let us embrace the opportunity to coexist respectfully with nature and wildlife. The presence of owls among us is a living testament to the rich biodiversity that thrives even in urban spaces.”

For Scherman, the project was far more than a conservation effort. It was a passion project rooted in her own family history. “My grandparents also had a special connection to owls, so this felt very close to home,” she says. “Observing their habits and individuality made me feel like their caretaker. When we saw the baby owlets, I naturally felt like I was being promoted to an owl-granny!”

Prof Deacon reflects on how the project has enriched campus relationships. “What’s been most rewarding was how many people came together around this – from librarians to students to scientists. We built friendships, not just a nest box.” He adds that librarian Hesma van Tonder even joined one of their giraffe capture excursions. “That kind of connection – between research and real-life adventure – is what makes conservation come alive.”

Looking ahead, he hopes that this project will inspire more cross-campus initiatives. “We’re exploring green corridors, rooftop biodiversity zones, and opportunities to conserve other species such as bats and pollinators,” he says. “It’s only the beginning. Hopefully, other departments such as Zoology and Botany can also come on board in the future.”

 

A space for stories – and for nature

As the owls continue to thrive above the Sasol Library’s quiet corners, their presence invites the university to see its own spaces differently – as places where knowledge, nature, and compassion can coexist.

Prof Reddy reflects on this shared journey:

“The owls invited themselves because they were disoriented and distressed. As a caring university, we demonstrate through our tangible actions that their arrival further ignites our curiosity as a university with a heart. In this way, our library shows how we connect to the world by sheltering not just precious books and knowledge, but that we are an important ecosystem of empathy. Our aspirations for research excellence and impact gains new ground as a vehicle for innovation, equity, and community. My heartfelt appreciation goes out to all our colleagues who are working tirelessly on their thoughtful and dedicated interventions.”

And in closing, he offers a final reflection on what this small but meaningful story reveals about the university’s future:

“If our university matters and is to remain meaningful, our accidental visitors have given new impetus to the fact that our library space holds our stories, and they are making places for new ones as part of our responsible societal futures.”


News Archive

UFS awards degrees at autumn graduation ceremony
2009-04-28

The University of the Free State’s (UFS) autumn diploma and graduation ceremony took place this week in the Arena on the South Campus in Bloemfontein (formerly known as the Vista Campus). This arrangement has been made because of the large-scale renovations to the Callie Human Centre on the Main Campus.

Friday, 24 April 2009
Faculties of Health Sciences, Law and Theology Diploma ceremony

Law student’s achievement excels 80%
Four Law students obtained the LLB degree at this year’s autumn graduation ceremony of the University of the Free State (UFS) summa cum laude and were awarded the Moritz Bobbert Medal. They are from the left: Lezelle Olivier (80%), Albert Nell (91%) and Amanda du Toit (83%). LiFeng Chien were absent during the photo.




UFS awards degrees at autumn graduation ceremony
Today 331 students and five doctorates in the Faculties of Health Sciences, Law and Theology received their qualifications at this year’s autumn graduation ceremony of the University of the Free State (UFS). Michael Molahloe (left) and Mamokete Ntholeng both received their LL.B. degrees in the Faculty of Law.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs




This year’s autumn graduation ceremony of the University of the Free State (UFS) was held on the South Campus. From the group of students that received their qualification from the Faculty of Law, is from the left: Janine Jonson, Anneska van der Spoel, Andrea Coetzer, and Jo-Mari Visser.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs



Students in Nursing receive their degree
A group of students from the Faculty of Health Sciences received their B.Soc.Sc. degree at this year’s autumn graduation ceremony of the University of the Free State (UFS). At the occasion were, from the left: Ruth Beukes, Basetsana Panana, and Dipontsheng Tsolo.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs



UFS Faculty of Health Sciences awards degrees
Liezl Swanepoel (left) and Heide van der Merwe received their BSocSC degrees at the University of the Free State’s (UFS) autumn graduation ceremony.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

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Thursday, 23 April 2009
Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences & Chancellor’s Dinner



UFS awards unique doctorate
Dr Rodney Douglas, who had never obtained any formal undergraduate qualification, this week received a Ph.D. in Geography and Geology during the autumn graduation ceremony of the University of the Free State (UFS). The name of his thesis is “A new perspective on the geohydrological and surface processes controlling the depositional environment at the Florisbad archaeozoological site”. He had four papers published in journals that were related to his thesis. He obtained his South African Museums Association Diploma in Biology in 1988 and his M.Sc. in Environmental Biology at the University of Natal, Durban in 1992. He was accepted as a Master's degree student at that university based on research that he had conducted on, amongst others, the diets of reptiles. He has been working at the Department of Herpetology at the National Museum, Bloemfontein since 1984, where he holds the post of Principal Museum Scientist and Head of Department.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs



Chancellor’s Dinner: UFS honours doctoral students
Last night, the University of the Free State (UFS) honoured students who had received their Ph.D. degrees at the autumn graduation ceremony this past week, at the Chancellor’s Dinner. A total of 25 doctorates were awarded during the respective ceremonies. Attending the occasion were, from the left: Dr Annemarie Kühn, Ph.D. in Chemistry, Prof. Jeanet Conradie, Department of Chemistry at the UFS and Dr Kühn’s promoter, Prof. Teuns Verschoor, Acting Rector of the UFS, Prof. Corene de Wet, Department of Comparative Education and Education Management at the UFS, and Dr Mafu Rakometsi, Chief Executive Officer of Umalusi and former head of the Free State Department of Education who received a Ph.D. in History. Prof. De Wet is Dr Rakometsi's co-promoter and the late Prof. Leo Barnard, former Head of the Department of History at the UFS, who passed away at the beginning of April 2009, was his promoter.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs



Mrs Annemarie Kilian, Mr Willem Kilian (BSc. Hons) and Prof Stephanus Kilian
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe



Mr Jaco van der Merwe, Mr Renico Pretorius and Mr Rion Terblanche (all BSc. Quantity Survying)
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe



Ms Mamakoanyane Amelia Shata (BSc. Genetics and BSc. Hons. Plant Molecular Biology) and Mrs Maente Adelinah Shata.
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe



Mr Maurice Ambrose and Mr Owen Monk (both BSc. Quantity Survying).
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe



Ms Tobeka Mehlomekhulu (Lecturer: Department of Geography), Mr Neo Mokgosi (BSc. Hons. Genetics) and Ms Nwabisa Mehlomekhulu (BSc. Hons. Food Science).
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe



Mr John Mdane, Mr Fana Mdane (BSc. Information Technology) and Mrs Agnes Mdane
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe



Mr Kevin Vermaak (BSc. Hons. Geohydrology) and Ms Michelle Steenkamp (BSc. Hons. Geology).
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe

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21 April 2009
Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences



Prof. Magda Fourie's daughter graduates
Nadia Fourie, daughter of Prof. Magda Fourie, former Vice-Rector: Academic Planning at the UFS and now Vice-Rector: Teaching at Stellenbosch University, received the B.Com. Law degree.
Photo: Lacea Loader



724 degrees were awarded during the ceremony of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Here are, from the left: Simon Serutla, B.Com. Accounting, Lourencia Hamuaka, B.Com. Honours in Financial Economics and Investment Management, Sunet Opperman, B. Accounting, and Yolandi Greyling, B. Accounting.
Photo: Lacea Loader



Students in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences graduated this week during the University of the Free State's (UFS) autumn graduation ceremony. Altogether 724 degrees were conferred. Here are, from the left: Marie-Louise Lombard, B.Com. Law, Adriaan van der Merwe, B.Com. Law and member of the Student Representative Council (Legal and Constitutional Affairs), Basanio Ncike, B.Com. Economics, and Richard Schooling, B.Com. Banking.
Photo: Lacea Loader



Center for Accounting honours top achievers
The Centre for Accounting at the University of the Free State (UFS) honoured the top ten students in the third-year B.Com. and B.Com. Hons. programmes respectively during this week's autumn graduation ceremony. Here are, from the left: Prof. Ronell Britz, Chairperson of the centre, Nils Kotze, first place in the B.Com. third-year group, and Madri Victor, first place in the B.Com. Hons. group; back: Prof. Hentie van Wyk, Programme Director: Accountant Training.
Photo: Stephen Collett



Accounting firms in Free State help with recognition of top achievers
Accounting firms in the Free State have contributed to a fund at the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Centre for Accounting to give recognition to top achievers in the third-year programme for the B.Com. and B.Com Hons. degrees respectively this week. It is evidence of the good relationship that exists between the Centre and the South African Institute for Chartered Accountants (SAICA), Free State. Here, from the left, are: Mr Pieter Clase, CoetzeeSmit Chartered Accountants, Mr Oswald Wentworth, KPMG, Mr Ettienne van Niekerk, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Herman Leach, Gobodo Inc. Chartered Accountants, and Mr Stefan Strydom, Havenga, Rossouw & Viljoen; front: Mr Ian Smit, Enslins Bloemfontein, Ms Thelma Crossman, Mazars, and Ms Daphline O'Brien, Ernst & Young.
Photo: Stephen Collett

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20 April 2009
Faculty of Education, Faculty of the Humanities.



CHESD awards 15 masters degrees
A group of 15 students received the Structured M.A. (Higher Education Studies) of the Centre for Higher Education Studies and Development (CHESD) at this year’s autumn graduation ceremony of the University of the Free State (UFS). This is the biggest group in the centre's history to be awarded master’s degrees, while four of the students received distinctions. Also of interest is that six of the 15 students already have doctoral degrees. At the occasion were, from the left: Dr Dipane Hlalele, Qwaqwa Campus, Ms Liesl Hoare, Central Univeristy of Technology, Welkom Campus (best achiever), and Dr Fanus van Tonder, Programme Director: Higher Education Studies and Research, CHESD. Ms Hoare received the Deans medal in the Faculty of the Humanities as the best master’s graduate student at the graduation ceremony. At the faculty’s prize function she also received the Kovsie-Alumni Trust award as the best M.A student in the faculty. She also received the CHESD Prize for the best achievement in the Structured M.A. (Higher Education Studies).
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs



UFS awards degrees at autumn graduation ceremony
Five hundred and eighty six degrees and nine doctorates were awarded this week during this year's autumn graduation ceremony on the South Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) to students in the Faculty of the Humanities. At the occasion were, from the left: Nicola Bekker, Madré van der Merwe and Esté Scholtz. All three the ladies received the qualification B.A. Language Practice.
Photo: Lacea Loader



This year’s autumn graduation ceremony of the University of the Free State (UFS) is held on the South Campus in Bloemfontein. Today a group of students from the Programme: Governance and Political Transformation in the Faculty of the Humanities received their qualification. From the left, front are: Dr Tania Coetzee, Head of the Programme: Governance and Political Transformation, and Mr Itumeleng Liba, Chief Operation Officer at CENTLEC; back: Mr Kennett Sinclair, Vice-Chairperson of COPE in the Northern Cape, Ms Nicole Joannou, Goldfields Business and Catering, and Mr Tembeni Lobe from Bloemfontein.
Photo: Lacea Loader



Some of the students who received their qualifications during this week's graduation ceremony of the Faculty of the Humanities were, from the left: Shu-Jung Chan, B.Mus. Hons., Brian Gxavu, B.Mus., and Mpolokeng Lepote, B.A. Media Studies.
Photo: Lacea Loader



UFS’s CHESD awards doctoral degree
Ms Mardi Delport (middle), Assistant Director: Media and Communications at the Central University of Technology received her Doctoral degree at this year’s autumn graduation ceremony of the University of the Free State (UFS). The title of her thesis is: “An internal communication model for the Central University of Technology, Free State as a multi-campus institution”. With her are her promoter Prof. Driekie Hay (left), Vice-Rector: Academic Planning, and her co-promoter, Prof. Annette Wilkinson (right) from the Centre for Higher Education Studies and Development (CHESD) at the UFS.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs 

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