As Diwali and danger of black magic sacrifice nears, a bid to save owls

As Diwali is around the corner, the forest department and NGOs working for animal rights fear more incidents of owl poaching and owl sacrifice, a black magic practice that arises out of the bird’s association with the goddess of prosperity, Laxmi.

The forest department and some NGOs have set up helplines to help curb this custom. On the day of Lakshmi Puja, it is a common black magic practice to sacrifice owls. During Diwali, a large number of owls are poached and illegally traded for black magic. While owl sacrifice on Diwali is believed to bring wealth and fortune, its body parts are also used in certain rituals.

Sunish Subramanian Kunju, Secretary of Plant & Animals Welfare Society (PAWS), an NGO working for the welfare of birds and animals, said, “Owls are been protected species under schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Hence, hunting/ poaching is an punishable offence under Section 9, 39, 40(2), 49B of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Under Section 11 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, 1960. But, every year we receive a few complaints about owl poaching.”

There were few posters launched by NGOs who works for animal rights and circulated through social networking sites and a Facebook campaign was launched to create awareness about the illegal killing of owls and to save them.

“Every year our helpline number receives calls where people inform us about illegal poaching and selling of owls. We have written to civic authorities also to keep an eye on poachers and nab them. We have set up help line numbers 9833480388 or 25968314, where people can complain if they notice anything suspicious,” added Mr Kunju.

According to an officer from the forest department, there are many poachers who stay around the forest area that are involved in the illegal trapping and trading of owls during Diwali.

Explaining the reason behind owl sacrifice, an astrologer, Kamal Kishor Shastri said, “Owls eat rats, which helps save the crops of farmers, which in turn saves them money. So the owl was set up as a symbol of prosperity, and in religious drawings the Goddess of wealth, Laxmi is accompanied by an owl, so a few godmen started this trend of owl poaching saying that it would increase wealth.”