CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Southwest Florida's answer to Punxsutawney Phil made its own Groundhog Day weather prediction Wednesday.
Like its rodent counterpart, the burrowing owl saw its shadow, heralding in six more weeks of winter.
The prognostication was made at the Pelican Baseball Complex, alongside Athene, the human-sized owl mascot, Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter, and representatives from Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife.
Friends of Wildlife said during the ceremony they have applied for a $50,000 grant from the Disney Conservation Fund, which would be used to acquire more land throughout the city to build and/or protect existing owl burrows.
They also distributed information about the upcoming Burrowing Owl Festival, which is set for Feb. 26.
The burrowing owl is the official bird of Cape Coral.
