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ROCK HILL Part of the walking trail at Rock Hill's Cherry Park was closed Friday after an owl attacked two people in the park earlier this week, according to city officials.
"There is an owl and it has been acting aggressively," said John Taylor, a supervisor with the city's Parks, Recreation and Tourism department.
Earl White, 71, said he was attacked Tuesday morning on his daily walk about 6:45 a.m.
"I saw something flying opposite me, and then I was attacked," White said. "It got me by the head."
White reported the attack to park officials.
"It scared the daylights out of me," he said.
Then Thursday morning, an off-duty city employee was also attacked on the trail, Taylor said.
On Friday, the city indefinitely closed that portion of Cherry Park's walking trails so wildlife officials can find, and hopefully catch, the predator. The closed portion of the trail is parallel to McNair Street on the park's southeastern edge, and officials are urging caution around dusk and dawn when owls are normally active.
"We figured it was best to close the part where it happened until we could get people in here who might catch it," Taylor said.
Wise move, said Lt. Sandy Young, of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources enforcement division. Young dispatched two officers to the park Friday to try to catch the bird. But so far, the hooter remains on the wing.
"Owls aren't known to be aggressive unless they are being protective of nests," Young said. "That habitat there at the park is a natural habitat for owls and hawks. Right now we are assuming it is an owl because the people reported it was an owl. They both said it was a great big bird that came at them."
The attacking bird probably is a barred owl or a great horned owl, but barn owls and screech owls are also native species in this area, Young said. It is possible the owl is injured, Young said, but until officers find it and catch it, game wardens are as much in the dark as the owl is.
Because owls are a protected species under state and federal law, Young said, officers will try to catch the owl using snares designed to cause as little pain to the animal as possible.
