TN farmers rescue two owlets

TRICHY:

Farmers

on Monday rescued two

owlets

that fell from a palm tree near

Tiruvarur

and handed them over to forest department officials. Stray dogs and crows were trying to attack the owlets before farmers rescued them.

Officials said the owlets that appeared to be around 10 days old might be belonging to the

barn owl

species. At least 10 more days are required to confirm the species, according to wildlife biologist K Sasi Kumar.

Barn owls are protected under Schedule-III of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. They are one among 32 owl species found in India, according to V Gokula, head of zoology department at National College Trichy.

Tiruvarur district forest officer K Arivoli said the rescued owlets were doing good. “They are kept under observation with proper feeding. They will be released once they are on their own, in a couple of months,” he said.