Owl festival to be organised in Dhanusha

Vijay Kumar Sah,Dalkebar, Jan. 30: The 12th Nepal Owl Festival is all set to take place in Purandaha located in Mithila Bihari Municipality-2, Dhanusha, on February 7 to 8.

The festival aims to generate awareness about the importance of owls among locals and spread the message of conservation in eastern Nepal.

According to Dev Narayan Mandal, coordinator of the main organising committee, the festival will be conducted near Chandeshwar Basic School. 

The two-day event is being organised in collaboration with Mithila Wildlife Trust, Dhanusha, and the NGO named 'Friends of Nature.'

He said that awareness campaigns were being conducted in local schools as part of the festival preparations. These efforts aim to inspire children and youth to develop a love for nature and a sense of conservation.

The festival will feature bird and nature observation, cultural programmes showcasing the unique identity of Mithila and exhibitions of traditional, endangered sports. At the same time, local handicrafts, indigenous cuisines, a temporary owl museum and a special robot owl exhibit will be on display, Mandal informed.

The festival will also include owl specimens from the Natural History Museum under Tribhuvan University. Wildlife researchers and various environmental organisations will present information and local products will be displayed and sold. Arrangements have been made to allow visitors to hear the sound of eight owl species found in Nepal and watch related videos.

Raju Acharya, Director of Friends of Nature, said that the festival aims to promote environmental balance by conserving owls, which are considered farmers' friends. Highlighting their importance, Acharya said that a single owl can eat up to 3,000 mice in one season, significantly assisting farmers. Owls also help control insects, snakes and frogs, he added.

Acharya said, “There are about 225 species of owls in the world. Nepal is home to 23 recorded species, of which eight are considered rare. It is estimated that two species have already become extinct in Nepal. Owls can be found from the lowlands to the Himalayan regions.”

Based on studies conducted in 35 districts, around 2,000 owls are illegally smuggled or killed annually in Nepal, Acharya informed. He also shared that the festival has previously been held in districts like Dhading, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Gorkha, Kaski, Kapilvastu, Dolakha and Khotang.