Quarrying halted in Telangana’s Vikarabad to protect rare rock eagle owl and its eggs | WATCH

Hyderabad, Telangana: Quarrying operations at a stone quarry in Vikarabad district have been suspended for about a month to allow a rare rock eagle owl to hatch its eggs, in a move praised as environmentally responsible.

The rock eagle owl, which feeds on insects, rats, and small animals, is primarily found in South-East Asia and is known for inhabiting rocky terrains rather than forests. While the species is not endangered, sightings are rare.

The Telangana Forest Department acted swiftly after wildlife photographers and conservationists alerted authorities to the presence of the bird and its clutch of five eggs.

Vikarabad District Forest Officer Gnaneswar told PTI on Thursday that wildlife photographer Manoj Kumar Vittapu, who visited the Yenkathala grasslands in Vikarabad on November 30, reported the sighting to the state’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) C Suvarna. The PCCF instructed district forest officials to take immediate protective measures.

Forest personnel informed the quarry’s owner, Laxma Reddy, about the rare species and its eggs. The owner agreed to halt operations until the hatchlings are ready to fly. Since then, the forest department has been monitoring the owl daily to ensure its safety.

Vittapu, who is also joint secretary of the Telangana Photographic Society, said the eggs were located between the quarry cliff and the ground. Mining activities were halted by the earthmover driver after being alerted to the eggs’ presence. He described the timing as “a miracle,” noting that continued quarrying could have caused the eggs to fall and break.

The exact date when the owl laid the eggs is unknown, but hatching is expected in about 15 days. With proper protection, the young are likely to fly within 20–25 days. The female owl incubates the eggs, keeping them warm throughout the period.

The WWF and other animal activists also contacted forest authorities to ensure the owl and its eggs were safeguarded. The quarry owner has fully cooperated, agreeing to suspend work at the site until the hatchlings leave the nest.