Saving a life is an achievement in itself. Maharashtra Forest Department came to the rescue of a barn owl in distress, which was trapped inside a sewage drain in Pune's Junnar taluk. After being rescued, Wildlife SOS, a non-profit charity with the primary objective of rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife, took it upon itself to bring back the barn owl to its full health and release it into natural habitat.
The forest officials stationed at Junnar were informed about the trapped barn owl on Tuesday. They rushed to the rescue and safely extracted the bird. The owl was then taken to Wildlife SOS Leopard Rescue Centre for medical intervention.
Wildlife NGO to the rescue
When the barn owl was brought to Wildlife SOS, it was shivering from the cold. The bird was drenched and had dirt on its wings and body, which the vets cleaned and gave it plenty of food and rest to recuperate, Nikhil Bangar, Wildlife Veterinary Officer, Wildlife SOS, said.
The veterinary experts at the NGO placed the bird under artificial heating while monitoring its condition. After a day of care, the barn owl was deemed fit to be released into its natural habitat in a nearby forest area.
"Thankfully the owl was unhurt and we are glad to see it return to its natural habitat. The Barn Owl (Tyto alba) is a widely distributed owl species and commonly found in the Indian subcontinent. They generally rest in unused burrows, tree cavities or terraces and prey on rodents, small mammals and birds," Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder & CEO of Wildlife SOS, said.
Owls are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and the International trade in owls is prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) in India.
