Wildlife centre 'disheartened' to hear that owls are being harassed at a Toronto park

An owl is seen in this undated photograph posted to social media by the Toronto Wildlife Centre.

Officials are asking curious onlookers to be more respectful of the city’s wildlife after receiving reports that owls are being harassed in a Toronto park.

The Toronto Wildlife Centre posted to social media on Sunday saying they were “disheartened” to hear that some residents at Downsview Park, located near Keele Street and Sheppard Avenue, have been baiting owls with food, throwing objects at them and playing audio recordings to grab their attention.

“It may not seem detrimental to awaken an owl one time, but consistent disturbances by dozens of people are extremely harmful to these nocturnal predators who sleep during the day,” officials said in the Facebook post. “ Just imagine paparazzi standing outside of your home every day and night!”

Residents have also been using flash when taking photos of the animals, which officials say “flushes the owls from the safety of their roost, putting them at risk of predation and results in wasting energy needed to survive.”

The wildlife centre acknowledged that owls are majestic animals that often attract a lot of attention for their appearance and nocturnal behaviours, but too often people behave inappropriately while trying to get photos of the creatures.

“While we encourage going outside to enjoy nature, please be respectful of wildlife and encourage others to do the same.”