The Saskatchewan Science Centre’s
Great Horned Owl

Visitors to the Saskatchewan Science Centre will notice that our iconic and long-time resident, Bubo, the Great Horned Owl has moved. Here’s an update on Bubo and why this move has occurred.

Bubo was brought to us in 2010 after losing a wing when in the wild. Injured animals like this can not be released back into their natural habitat, so Bubo became a permanent resident of the Saskatchewan Science Centre.

Bubo (the Great Horned Owl) has been moved out of the SSC, why is that?

While the current Bubo enclosure meets the minimum requirements set out by the Ministry of Environment and Bubo has adapted well to our care, we have found that she increasingly is showing signs of stress, likely due to the increased noise in the area since we returned to pre-pandemic levels of visitation.

After considerable research and discussions with a variety of experts in animal care and specifically those caring for owls, we have made the decision to move Bubo to the Saskatoon Zoo on a temporary basis. We believe she can live her healthiest and happiest life in a larger, outdoor habitat.

Will Bubo be returning to the SSC in the future?

It is our hope that Bubo will one day return to us, until then, we know she will receive excellent care at the Saskatoon Zoo. In the meantime, we will be evaluating the feasibility of creating an outdoor habitat that better reflects our commitment to providing the highest standard of animal care.