India is home to about 36 species of owls, all protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and yet, they are most vulnerable to and often traded illegally.

Not just the hunting, trading, or any other form of utilisation of owls is a punishable offence as per the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972; all owl species found in India are also enlisted under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which restricts their international trade.