Rescued eagle owl dies after 51-hour delay reaching care centre

A young eagle owl found injured near Chança, in Alter do Chão, died after being handed to the GNR for transfer to the ICNF's wildlife recovery centre in Castelo Branco. According to Miguel Belo, the photographer who rescued the bird, it took about 51 hours between his handover to the GNR and its arrival at the centre, by which time it was too weak to save. The GNR issued a statement describing the rescue but did not address the delay. GNR officers reportedly told the outlet the fault lay with the Guarda's internal organisation, not SEPNA.