Press Release

EMBARGOED UNTIL APRIL XX, 2026

Carmel Owls Launches Owl Pellet Collection Program and Distributes Free Dissection Kits to Monterey County Schools

CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, CA — Carmel Owls has launched a community owl pellet collection initiative to support hands-on science education across Monterey County. Residents who find owl pellets in their yards are invited to collect and donate them. The pellets are sterilized and assembled into free Owl Pellet Dissection Kits distributed to over 30 local schools.

Owl Pellets

Owl pellets — compact masses of bones and fur regurgitated by owls — give students a real-world way to study food webs, predator-prey relationships, and skeletal anatomy.

“We’re turning backyard discoveries into classroom science,” said Paul Falworth, Chief Owl Officer and Carmel Owls volunteer. “Local pellet donations become complete dissection kits that help students explore ecology in a tangible way.”

Owl Pellet Dissection Kits

Community members are asked to collect pellets using gloves, place them in a clean, sealable bag, and mail batches of approximately ten pellets. Carmel Owls reimburses shipping, sterilizes the pellets, and prepares classroom-ready kits.

Each kit includes 10 sterilized owl pellets (suitable for 20 paired students), laminated dissection and bone identification charts for students as well as a teacher's guide, gloves, masks, tweezers, and magnifying glasses. That's 30 kits with a reach of 600 students.

Hands-On Learning

“Our students thrive when science is hands-on,” said Xxxx Xxxxxx, teacher at School in City. “Working with real owl pellets makes biology immediate and memorable.”

“If our support helps put owl pellets — and the tools to study them — into more classrooms, we’re investing in the next generation of environmental stewards,” said XXXXX Xxxx, Xxxxx Director at Company Name, a local sponsor.

Monterey County schools may register for free kits, and residents can learn how to donate pellets through the Carmel Owls website. Kits are typically suitable for Grades 4 through 9.

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Website: carmelowls.org

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About Carmel Owls
Carmel Owls is a volunteer conservation organization based in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, dedicated to protecting and supporting local Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus). through their free Adopt an Owl Platform initiative, nesting platform deployment, education, and community outreach across the Monterey Peninsula.

Laminated Owl Pellet Dissection guides

Owl pellet

Rat bones from a dissected owl pellet