Great Horned owl has new home at Zoo Idaho

A great horned owl, taken in by a family as a pet, has now found its way to Zoo Idaho.

The owl, named Geno, came from the Salmon area where he was taken in to a private home as a fledgling. He was eventually turned over to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, which brought the bird to Zoo Idaho.

Zoo Idaho official Gene McAffee said Geno will join the zoo’s raptor education program. Other birds in that program include a red-tailed hawk, a turkey vulture, and a bald eagle.

“We’re excited to have Geno join the Zoo Idaho family,” said Rachael Shearouse, Education Curator. “We’d rather have him spend his life in the wild but because of his time around people, he doesn’t know how to be a great horned owl. Now, we can have Geno share the wonders of nature with the public.”

Another great horned owl is already on exhibit. The zoo houses numerous orphaned or injured animals indigenous to the region who would likely not have survived in the wild.