Brendan and Danelle Murray set out to rescue owls, but their work soon expanded into something far greater… a sanctuary dedicated to protecting wildlife and preserving biodiversity. This is all you need to know about the Owl Rescue Centre.
Johannesburg, South Africa (11 March 2026) – Protecting wildlife is not just a job for Brendan and Danelle Murray… it is a life’s calling, and this week’s episode of “Good Things with Brent Lindeque” dives into the incredible work they are doing to save some of South Africa’s most vulnerable creatures.
I got to chat with Brendan Murray, co-founder of the Owl Rescue Centre, about how he and his wife turned their lifelong passion for wildlife conservation into an organisation that now rescues and rehabilitates thousands of animals every year. Brendan explained that their journey began when they realised owls were disappearing at an alarming rate and had become one of the most common wildlife casualties arriving at veterinary practices.
“Realising that there was a rapid decline in owl numbers and that owls had become one of the most common wildlife casualties brought into veterinary practices, we decided to focus all our efforts on conserving them.”
That decision led to the creation of the Owl Rescue Centre in Hartbeespoort, where the team now takes in roughly two-thousand owls every year through rescue efforts. Injured owls are rehabilitated and, when ready, released back into the wild at the Owl Sanctuary, a farm situated within a 12,000-hectare conservancy where they can hunt, nest and thrive again.
Over time, the organisation has grown to protect a wide variety of wildlife species and contribute to important conservation and research projects, all driven by Brendan and Danelle’s dedication to protecting vulnerable animals.
“When we acquired the farm now known as the Owl Sanctuary, our dream was to secure a place for the owls where they would be protected and looked after, a piece of habitat that would always belong to them.”
If you want to hear the full story behind the Owl Rescue Centre and the incredible conservation work happening just outside Hartbeespoort, you can listen to the full conversation below (or wherever you watch or listen to your favourite podcasts).
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