Fifteen starving and dehydrated snowy owls have arrived at the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre in Île-des-Chênes within the last two weeks.

The owls have come from all over the province, including Winnipeg and The Pas.

The centre said it believes food is scarce in the north, and owls are being forced further south.

"People are finding them and bringing them to us,” said Dan Diawol with the centre. “They haven't been [getting enough nutrients] enough that they don't have the strength to fly”. Diawol said if the owls can't fly, they can't hunt properly.

Still, there is some good news. Diawol said out of the 15 snowy owls currently being cared for, five are eating and doing better since they arrived. He said he feels positive those five snowy owls will make a recovery.