AUSTIN, Texas \u2014 After it was believed that both of her owlets had died, it turns out one of Athena the owl\u2019s owlets is alive and receiving treatment at a local wildlife sanctuary.<\/p>\n
Athena \u2014 the resident great horned owl at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and Austin\u2019s official owl ambassador \u2014 welcomed two owlets earlier this month. Unfortunately, only one survived, according to an Instagram post<\/a> shared by the Wildflower Center on Saturday, April 18.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile difficult to witness, this is a natural part of life for Great Horned Owls, and not all owlets survive to fledge. Athena continues to care for the remaining owlet,\u201d the post said.<\/p>\n Athena laid her first egg on March 5 and laid the second egg on March 9. Both were able to hatch before the first owlet died.<\/p>\n Staff from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology monitored the nest after it was believed the second owlet had died and Athena hadn\u2019t returned. In a follow-up post<\/a> on Monday, the Wildflower Center shared that the surviving owlet showed signs of movement after several hours.<\/p>\n \u201cWorking quickly with Austin Wildlife Rescue, the owlet was carefully removed from the nest and brought into rehabilitation,\u201d the post said.<\/p>\n According to the Wildflower Center, as of Monday, the surviving owlet was showing signs of strength and appetite, and staff say they \u201chave reason to be hopeful.\u201d<\/p>\n Athena has nested at the Wildflower Center every year for over a decade, and in that time has built a following of dedicated fans. Cornell Labs Bird Cams runs a 24\/7 livestream of her nest \u2014 which sits above the center’s courtyard entrance \u2014 allowing animal lovers to watch her tend to her nest and owlets each year.\u00a0<\/p>\n