Pune-based NGO to hold country’s first owl fest

PUNE: The Ela Foundation, known for its research in

ornithology

, will organize an owl festival between November 29 and 30. The aim of the festival is to dispel myths about owls and to encourage children to be a part of the conservation process.


The festival will be held at the Ela Habitat, located in Pingori near Jejuri.

“A report by the NGO TRAFFIC showed that 78,000 owls were killed in a year, to smuggle their feathers and beaks that are used in traditional medicines and other unscientific practices. Many are killed due to superstitious beliefs. This festival is meant to reach out to children and common people,” said ornithologist and co-founder of the foundation Satish Pande.

The event can be considered as a precursor to the World Owl Conference that the foundation will host in Pune in 2019. About 40 countries have confirmed their participation in the conference, Pande added.

As for the two-day event, the foundation is focusing primarily on schoolchildren from urban and rural institutes. It has appealed to schoolchildren and their teachers to create posters, flyers, sketches, caricatures, even poems, songs, and plays, some of which will be displayed at the festival.

In addition, the attendees will get an opportunity to participate in panel discussions, where they can interact with ornithologists, researchers, photographers, and filmmakers. The owl festival will also feature a photography exhibition and short film screenings.

“We are very happy with the kind of response we have received. We are already getting owl-themed pictures, stitch-work, and posters, created by children. Many people have even reached out to us with wildlife-themed pendant collections, owl-based stamp and coin collections that they wish to display,” Pande remarked.