Four rare white coloured owls rescued in Odisha

Four rare white coloured owls classified as 'endangered' under the Wildlife Protection Act have been rescued from this district of Odisha, a forest official said today.
Acting on a tip-off, Forest Department officials went to a house in Lalitaswar Nagar here yesterday morning and rescued the owls as the person who had captured the birds from Budhapola area was trying to sell those, he said.
"The four rare species of white complexion owls are classified as 'endangered' under the Wildlife Protection Act," the official said.
The owls were later released in the nearby forest, he said, adding the accused managed to escape and no one has so far been arrested.

Such rare species of owls are in great demand, especially among occultists during festival times and they are sold at high price, the forest official said.