Pune: Eagle Owl rescued after hit by a speeding vehicle in Junnar

A passer-by found the fairly large bird lying semi-conscious on the road and rushed to its aid

The bird was under the care of Wildlife conservation NGO- Wildlife SOS and later released back into the wild, once deemed fit by their veterinarian. An Indian Eagle Owl escaped a narrow brush with death after it was hit by a speeding vehicle in Junnar, Maharashtra.

A passer-by found the fairly large bird lying semi-conscious on the road and rushed to its aid. Concerned for its well-being, he immediately contacted the Wildlife SOS team operating out of the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Center in Junnar.

The distressed owl was immediately taken to the NGO's recovery facility where Wildlife SOS senior veterinarian Dr Ajay Deshmukh carried out necessary medical examination and treatment. After keeping it in close observation for two days, the bird was deemed fit and later released in a forest near Rajur village, Junnar.

Dr. Ajay Deshmukh, Senior Veterinarian at the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre said, "The owl was placed under mandated medical observation to ensure that it recuperated safely from the ordeal. Thankfully the bird had sustained only minor injuries and we are glad to see it return to its natural habitat."

Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder & CEO of Wildlife SOS said, "We are glad to see that more and more people are making a conscious decision to help out animals in distress. It is not uncommon for us to receive rescue calls where an unsuspecting animal has been injured due to negligent or rash driving. Such accidents not only put the life of the animal at risk but also pose a threat to the safety of the people driving the vehicle."

"The Indian Eagle Owl (Bubo bengalensis) also called the Bengal eagle-owl or Great Horned Owl, 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)", Satyanarayan further stated.
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.

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