Paradip, May 5: Caught between religious tradition and wildlife laws, the forest personnel are in a spot of bother.

Spotted owlets and chicks have perched atop the branches of the holy neem tree that has been identified as daru for Nabakalebar of Lord Jagannath. The tree is located at Kharipadia village in Jagatsinghpur district.

Responding to a petition from wildlife activist Biswajit Mohanty, the principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) and chief wildlife warden had earlier directed the Jagatsinghpur district collector to rescue the owlets from the holy tree with the help of forest department officials.

The drive to rescue the owlets has begun with forest staff maintaining round-the-clock vigil on them. However, is has become a tough ask to cage the feathered species as daru rituals forbid the forest personnel to climb up the holy tree.

"Ways and means are being worked out to cage the owlets without hurting the religious sentiments and ensuring the safety of the nocturnal birds," said Sudarshan Behera, the divisional forest officer of Cuttack territorial forest division.

"We have been directed to rescue the owlets as they come under the protected species as per the Wildlife (protection) Act, 1972. The officials would wait till May 8, the scheduled day for the cutting down of the holy tree. It has been decided to catch the nocturnal birds by spread-out nets," Behera said.

"Our principal predicament is that skilled forest personnel could not even touch the sacred tree as holy rituals are being performed. The tree has been barricaded. Forest officials have managed to catch a glimpse of the two spotted owlets from a distance. Their chicks were, however, nowhere in sight. The nest also could not be located," said Behera.

If the version given by the local residents is to be believed, the spotted owlets were earlier being spotted in a small temple on the periphery of the holy tree.

Only during mid-April, the owlets left the temple to fly back to the neem tree.