Bhubaneswar, May 12: Nandankanan zoo authorities have a wish - they want to keep the three spotted owlets rescued from the sacred tree at Kharipadia village in Jagatsinghpur district if the forest officials agree.

The owlets were brought to the zoo hospital on May 9 for better treatment and care.

Two adult owls and three owlets had made their home in the daru (sacred tree) that will be used to carve out the idol of Lord Jagannath.

While two adult owls flew away when the holy tree was felled, forest officials took care of the three owlets as they were unable to fly properly.

Rescuing the three owlets was a tough task for forest officials with the Lord's servitors barring them from climbing the sacred tree as it would desecrate the daru.

Keen to keep owlets for their association with the Nabakalebar rituals, a zoo official said they would take up the matter with the higher authorities.

"At present, our objective is to nurture them properly. Later, we may suggest the forest department to keep the owlets in the zoo," said a senior official of Nadankanan.

The four-month-old owlets are kept in small cages in the zoo hospital and an official said they were unable to fly beyond 10 feet.

"They have been kept in quarantine, and our veterinary doctors are keeping a watch on their health. Gradually, they will be shifted to bigger enclosures to increase their flying ability. The owlets have been served with anti-stress medicines," said the zoo's deputy director Jayant Dash.

An official said the owlets would be able to fly properly only after turning at least one-year-old.

Though initially, the owlets were reluctant to take food, they started eating since yesterday.

"Usually, they feed on small insects, and we are serving them soft and tiny chicken pieces," said a zoo official.

Wildlife activists have also demanded that the owlets be properly nurtured and kept in the zoo.

"They might not be able to fly properly in captivity, and it would be extremely difficult for them to adapt in the natural habitat once they are released. We will demand the owlets be kept in the zoo as they were rescued from the sacred tree of Lord Jagannath," said member secretary of the People for Animals Sanjib Kumar Das.