April 24 (UPI) -- A Florida sheriff's deputy came to the rescue of a baby owl found alone in the middle of a parking lot.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said a deputy spotted the eastern screech owlet in the path of vehicle traffic in a Clearwater parking lot.
The deputy "first moved the owlet to a safer location nearby, then observed the area for some time, waiting to see if a parent owl would return for their baby," the sheriff's office said on social media. "When no adult appeared despite the morning hour for this nocturnal little one, he knew it was time to call the pros."
A Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission officer responded to the scene and took the owlet to a raptor rehabilitation center for care.
"Remember: If you find young wildlife that appears orphaned, first observe from a distance as parents are often nearby," the post said. "However, if an animal is in immediate danger (like this owlet in a busy parking lot), safely moving it nearby is appropriate."
