Birder alerts about Rock Eagle Owl nest; quarrying stopped for a month | Hyderabad News – The Times of India

Hyderabad: A quiet cliff edge at a stone quarry in Yenakathala, Vikarabad, turned into an unexpected sanctuary after a birder’s alert about a Rock Eagle Owl nest prompted the Telangana forest department to halt quarrying operations for over a month.Birder Manoj Kumar Vittapu, joint secretary of the Telangana Photographic Society, visited the quarry on Sunday after the local supervisor informed him of a large owl nesting among the rocks. Manoj waited and watched until he spotted the Rock Eagle Owl firmly settled on its nest, confirming it was incubating. Others who helped document the sighting included Shreeniwas Kandukuree, a wildlife photographer. The images and location details triggered swift action by forest officials. Vikarabad district forest officer G Gnaneshwar said principal chief conservator of forests (head of forest force) C Suvarna, who also holds charge of wildlife department, directed staff to work on Manoj’s alert. “Mining has been stopped to ensure the bird can incubate and the chicks hatch safely,” Suvarna said, noting that relocating raptor nests is not viable because they abandon sites easily if disturbed.Forest section officer Inayath Ali and beat officer Mahesh met Manoj and his team on Saturday evening and trekked along the quarry edge to verify the nest.Forest staff met quarry contractor Laxma Reddy, who cooperated fully and agreed to suspend operations until the eggs hatch and the young owls safely disperse. DFO Gnaneshwar clarified that while the quarry operates legally on revenue land, the department requested a pause in activity after confirming the presence of the protected species.‘Mining halted for 30-35 days’“The contractor has agreed to completely stop mining for the next 30-35 days,” the DFO said. “We will monitor the site continuously during this period to ensure there is absolutely no disturbance. The Rock Eagle Owl needs time to hatch its eggs, and mining will not resume until the hatchlings grow and move away from the area.