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So strange, so rare

COMPILED BY R.KRITHIKA

Photo: AP

UNPROTECTED: In the wilds of Peru.

The bird itself is so rare that its scientific name, Xenoglaux, means "strange owl". First spotted in 1976, so far the only living ones were those caught at night. So a recent sighting in the wilds of Peru sent conservationists into celebratory mode. The owls are tiny, have bright orange eyes and long feathers around the face. They have so far escaped attention because of the remoteness of the habitat — the dense forests of Peru's northern mountains. But now as humans begin to take over those forests, the future seems to have become tougher. Scientists fear that only around 250 of these owls exist and called for protection of its "completely unprotected" habitat.

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