Although once thought to be extinct for decades, the forest owlet appears to have found a comfortable home at a tiger reserve in Central India.
As reported by the Deccan Herald, a recent four-day safari inside the Melghat Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra offered up a trip of a lifetime for a group of campers.
Hosted by the Bombay Natural History Society and Nature Conservation Society of Amravati, the campers participated in an array of outdoor activities. But it was the group's birding session that became the highlight of the trip, with over 50 different species sighted.
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Definitely 👍 Of the 50 species, the forest owlet was described as the high point of the trip. It was once feared to have gone extinct until the species was observed by an ornithologist in 1997, per the Deccan Herald. That sighting marked the first time that the bird had been seen in over 100 years. Classified as endangered by the IUCN in 2018, there are currently fewer than 1,000 adult forest owlets estimated to be living today.
Over the course of the safari through the Indian forest, the campers were able to spot the forest owlet on three separate occasions. This is yet another example of recovery from near-extinction, like the American burying beetle.
Kishor Rithe, the director of the BNHS, noted how crucial conservation is in the preservation of endangered animals such as the forest owlet. "Melghat Tiger Reserve is a treasure trove of biodiversity, and initiatives like this wildlife camp provide a unique opportunity for nature enthusiasts to connect with and appreciate our rich natural heritage," Rithe told the Deccan Herald. "The sightings of the endangered forest owlet reaffirm the importance of continued conservation efforts in this region," they added.
The multiple sightings of the forest owlet are a great indicator of not only the success of conservation practices, but the health of the Indian forests as well. This unique habitat offers the forest owlet the opportunity to contribute to the region's fragile ecosystem by preying on specific insects and small vertebrates.
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