Good Samaritan saves rare owl

Agra : A chance discovery by a good Samaritan helped save an rare Indian Eagle Owl which narrowly missed being run over by a train.

The bird appeared to have collapsed on the railway tracks near Trans Yamuna Colony Phase-2 in Agra.

A passer-by found the fairly large bird lying semi-conscious on the tracks and rushed to its aid. He immediately contacted Wildlife SOS which provides animal ambulance services to any wild animal in distress across Agra and Mathura.

A two-member team shifted the distressed bird to their recovery facility.

Ilayaraja, Wildlife SOS Deputy Director, Veterinary Services, saidL "The owl is unable to fly and a detailed examination revealed soft tissue injuries on both wings. But thankfully there is no fracture. We are providing all the necessary medical treatment."

The Indian Eagle Owl (Bubo bengalensis), also called the rock eagle owl or Bengal eagle owl, is a species of the large horned owl found in the Indian subcontinent.

"They can be distinguished by their characteristic false feather ear tufts (feather extensions on the head)," said Baiju Raj M.V., Director Conservation Projects, Wildlife SOS.

Indian Eagle Owls are a protected species and are listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), which regulates the international trade of wildlife species.