While the extent of trade is debatable, the fact that they are no longer found in places where they were abundantly found suggest that organized trading rackets are involved in smuggling the owls out of the country, experts claim.
On March 3 this year, two Eurasian Eagle owls had fallen prey to poachers in the forests of Lumbini Development Trust. Their feather were found, identified, and collected by Dr Hem Sagar Baral, senior ornithologist. Around 20 species of owls are found in Nepal. The largest owls like the Eurasian Eagle are imperiled also because of the loss of habitat and shortage of food. The owls are smuggled mostly from the Tarai and the mid-hills. The owls were also found in places such as Kathmandu, Nagarjun, Shivapuri and Tokha, but not a single owl exists in these places anymore.
“Two owls were killed in Shivapuri five years back and their offspring was sent to Jawalakhel zoo,” says Suchit Basnet, an ornithologist at Himalayan Nature, Kathmandu. Even countries like India and Bangladesh have smuggled owls for researches, domestication and stuffing, decoration and the perceived health benefits of its meat. Nepal´s owls are being smuggled to other countries through a network of dealers.
According to Baral, trade has proved to be a major threat for owls.
“It´s amusing why people believe that its meat could be used as medicines for pregnant women. This does not have any scientific basis,” Baral said.
People even think that owls are worth lakhs of rupees which is untrue. “Owls are not that valuable. Their prices range from Rs 10,000 to Rs 60, 000,” said Basnet. There are indications of growing demand of the nocturnal bird in the Middle East for domestication as well as research on its night vision capabilities.
Since these owls are main attraction for tourists visiting Lumbini, the decline in its population has also affected the tourism business there.
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