Environment

Harry Potter Blamed for India Owl Smuggling

by Jordan Yerman | November 3, 2010 at 10:06 am

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India Conservation Report: Owl Smuggling Driven By Harry Potter Movies, Books

According to a conservation report, owl smuggling is on the rise in India, driven by the popularity of the Harry Potter series. In the books and films, the main characters keep owls as pets, which also serve as an avian mail system.

The report, titled "Imperilled Custodians of the Night", states that, aside from the Harry Potter craze, owls are threatened by those who sacrifice them in magic rituals during Diwali. Apparently, birds from half of India's native owls species can be found in local markets.

Written by the leading conservation group, Traffic, the report calls for tougher measures to protect owls ahead of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, which is being celebrated on Friday.
It says that thousands of owls are traditionally sacrificed on "auspicious" occasions.