Shelley's Eagle Owl was first described in 1872 when Richard Bowdler Sharpe obtained a specimen from a local hunter in Ghana. However, since then, there have been no confirmed sightings or wildlife photographs of the bird in question. While there have been occasional reports throughout the decades, there was no way to prove these claims. For over 150 years, the owl has been very elusive and remained unseen in the African rain forests. But recently, two scientists were able to take a photo of Shelley's Eagle Owl in the wild.
Dr. Williams and Dr. Tobias were surprised by the size of the bird, and they thought that it was an eagle at first. "There is no other owl in Africa's rainforests that big," described Dr. Tobias.
The bird is classified as vulnerable to extinction, but the pair hope that this recent official sighting is good news for the winged creature.
(Image Credit: Dr. Robert Williams)
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