Archive · 3 Dec 2025
Quarry Halts Operations to Protect Endangered Owl Eggs
In a quarry near Hyderabad, workers found a nest with five eggs of a rare and endangered owl called the rock eagle owl.
These owls are very hard to see because they blend in well with their surroundings.
The quarry stopped all work to protect the eggs, even though it costs them a lot of money every day.
The eggs are safe now, and no one is allowed near them until they hatch and the baby owls can fly away.
The people who found the eggs and the forest officials are making sure the owls stay safe.
It's like a little miracle that they found the eggs just in time before the quarry machines could hurt them.
Quarry operations halted to protect five endangered rock eagle owl eggs.
Daily financial loss of Rs 1.2 lakh due to halted operations.
Rock eagle owl is a Schedule I endangered species with a high black market value.
Forest officials and quarry management are ensuring the safety of the eggs until they hatch.
Visitor access restricted to provide a peaceful incubation environment for the owl.
- Who
- Quarry manager Prashanth Reddy, photographer Manoj Kumar Vittapu, photographer Shreeniwas Kandukuree, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests C Suvarna, Vikarabad District Forest Officer G Gnaneshwar
- What
- Halted quarry operations to protect endangered rock eagle owl eggs
- When
- Eggs discovered two weeks into incubation, expected to hatch in 30-odd days
- Where
- Yenakathala quarry, Vikarabad, Telangana
- Why
- To protect the endangered rock eagle owl and its eggs from disturbance and potential poaching
- Species
- Rock eagle owl (Bubo bengalensis)
- Location
- Yenakathala quarry, Vikarabad, Telangana
- Incubation Period
- 6-8 weeks
- Daily Loss
- Rs 1.2 lakh
- Black Market Value
- Rs 35-40 lakh per bird
- Conservation Status
- Endangered (IUCN Red List)
- Protection Measures
- Halted quarrying, restricted visitor access