Paradip, May 9: The long wait and watch game of the forest personnel at the holy neem tree identified for making Lord Jagannath's idol at Kharipadia village in Jagatsinghpur came to end.
Sources said the forest personnel around 8pm rescued one adult owl and two chicks as the tree was cut down following the performance of rituals. Another adult owl along with a chick flew away.
The logs of the tree would be used for making the new idol of Lord Jagannath for Nabakalebar in Puri. The new idols would be installed at the temple ahead of rath yatra in July.
Wildlife activist Biswajit Mohanty, the principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) and chief wildlife warden had asked the Jagatsinghpur district collector to rescue the owls from the holy tree with the help of forest department officials.
A contingent of more than 50 officials was on the job for the past five days. This was the first wildlife rescue mission of this kind being undertaken in the state.
"We were waiting for the felling of the tree. The crux of the problem was that religious tradition was preventing our staff members from climbing up the tree," said Sudarshan Behera, the divisional forest officer of Cuttack territorial forest division. The whole exercise was delicate in nature because of the religious sentiments attached to the holy tree.
Sources said two adult owls and three chicks had been sighted in the tree under which several rituals were performed during the last few days. People from different areas had been flocking to the spot to watch the rituals and the owls and their chicks, too, became a big attraction. The birds had appeared to get used to the hustle and bustle of the place.
The forest department has pressed into service hydraulic ladders and is using nets, which are being manned by the trained staff. Recorded audio of owl screeching was also played so that the birds come near the net. Officials of Cuttack territorial forest division and Nandankanan Zoological Park were on duty near the tree to ensure the safety of the birds. They kept their fingers crossed till the operation was finally over.
