Development of the course in Barra de Tijuca, thought to have cost around $10.6 million (£7.1 million/€9.9 million), has attracted criticism from campaigners, who claim it will damage the environment.

An International Olympic Committee Executive Board meeting here last year was even interrupted by protesters who branded President Thomas Bach a “nature killer” for the construction of the course.

Organisers claim the course its actually helping the environment, restoring a natural habitat of local animal and plant species on a previously degraded area of land.

It emerged earlier this year that at least five trained animal handlers will be on site in order to peacefully scare animals, including alligator-like caimans and capybaras, the world's largest rodent, away from the course.

Boa constrictors snakes are also likely to be present, along with monkeys and three-toed sloths.

But Mark Johnson, director of international agronomy for the Professional Golf Association (PGA) Tour, warned it is the owls who are most likely to cause disruption.

The birds are thought to have thrived during the last three years of construction, burrowing their way into bunkers across the course.

"I reckon they have been in 80 per cent of the bunkers, the sod at the top is perfect for them," Johnson said.

"I am not a biologist by any means but these owls routinely have excessive amounts of babies. 

"There is something they like here.

"We are not going to cover them up, we work around them,

"The players won't be too upset [if their ball rolls into the owls' home], they'll just get a free drop."

He said the capybara rodens - which grow up to 60 centimetres tall and can weigh as much as 68 kilograms - have caused the biggest problems for the groundstaff, even if they are unlkely to disrupt the action itself.

"They chew down on the grass at night, there are about 30-40 of them inside the course perimeter," he added.

"But they live here and we play golf here, we co-exist."

Caiman alligators live in lakes next to four of the holes.

Johnson played down the risks, however.

"They are maximum 5 foot (1.5 metres), jeez, I have 10-12 foot alligators (3-3.6m) in my backyard," he said.

"It [the course] ranks way up there in terms of wildlife.

"Good for the tree huggers."

Golf's return to the Olympic programme for the first time since 1904 has been overshadowed by a number of big name withdrawals, including of the world's top four ranked male players: Australia's Jason Day, Americans Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth and Ireland's Rory McIlory.

International Golf Federation executive director Anthony Scanlon admitted this had "taken away some of the gloss".

Men's action is due to take place from August 11 to 14, with the women's tournament to follow from August 17 to 20.