BOCA RATON, Fla. — For decades, burrowing owls have made their home on the campus of Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Raton. So much so, the owl was officially adopted as FAU's mascot in the mid-1980s, following a 1971 designation of the land as a burrowing owl sanctuary by the National Audubon Society.
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But now, students and environmental advocates say the school's latest expansion plans are threatening to push the iconic birds out.
On the southeastern edge of FAU's campus—where the university plans to build parking garages and a new dormitory —small, sandy burrows dot the grassy fields. One already filled in.
"There was one right there, but now it's filled with sand," one student pointed out while walking the site.
A Change.org petition to protect the owls has now received more than 4,000 signatures. It was launched by South Florida wildlife videographer and environmentalist Theo Quenee, after he saw a social media post by graduating senior Juliana Soto, who had been drawing attention to the situation.
"It's important for us to think in a futuristic way when it comes to development," Quenee said. "We have to work with the land that's in Florida, not against it. If we don't, we're going to feel the repercussions years from now."
Although the owls are federally protected, FAU has received permission from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to "non-lethally harass" the birds to encourage them to leave their burrows. That includes using loud sounds or filling the entrances with sand.
Quenee called the decision ironic.
"The craziest part is their mascot is a burrowing owl," he said.
Instead of removing them, Quenee believes the university could use the land as a living laboratory—inviting science departments, local schools, and visitors to learn about owl conservation.
"They can have their science department here, tours for kids to learn about burrowing owls and the protection of local wildlife," he said. "FAU could be a leader in ecology."
For Soto, who is in her senior year, the issue goes beyond construction. It's about values.
"There will never be enough parking spots—that issue will always be here," she said, "but if you could please put profit aside and see the magic that already exists here."
Soto and Quenee are urging the university to reconsider its plans and instead designate the two fields as protected viewing areas where the owls can continue to thrive.
WPTV reached out to Florida Atlantic University for a statement, a university spokesperson said the person who could best answer questions related to this issue is out of the office until Aug. 4.
