At least eight Barn Owl fledglings were rescued by the Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Unit from a 30-feet deep well in Uttar Pradesh's Sanaura village and are currently under the observation of the wildlife conservation NGO.The sound of distressed cries drew the attention of a resident of Sanaura village in Mathura, who was surprised to discover a brood of barn owls inside the deep well at his farm.After few days of waiting when there was no sign of the mother, the resident Rakesh Chandra contacted the Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Unit on their 24 hour helpline number (9917109666), at the Keitham Bear Rescue Centre in Agra.A four member rescue team was dispatched to the location and after a quick assessment of the situation, extricated the fledglings by first transferring them into a safe carrier.
Upon observation, they were estimated to be about 45 days old.Barn Owls (Tyto alba), a widely distributed owl species, are commonly found in the Indian subcontinent. They prey primarily on rodents and other small mammals and occasionally even small birds."At first, I didn't want to disturb them, assuming that the mother was close by. But on seeing that she had not returned to the nest I became concerned about their well being and contacted Wildlife SOS. I am glad that they are in safe hands now and are receiving the required care and attention," Ramesh Chandra said.In India owls are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and international trade in owls is prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES).