Chennai resident saves barn owl from deadly glue trap

Bala Subramanian, a resident of Thiruvottiyur in North Chennai, recently found a barn owl near his house, struggling for life, its feathers matted with sticky glue. Caught in a glue trap meant for rodents, the owl was helpless, unable to fly or hunt. For 12 days, Bala cleaned its feathers with shampoo and fed it raw chicken until it regained health and was able to fly away. "It's an urban area around here, so I don't know who set the trap," says Bala, who works in a private company.Besant Memorial Animal Dispensary (BMAD) recently posted a similar case of a barn owl rescued by TN forest department officials from a glue trap set for rodents. When the owl was brought in, it was still stuck to the trap and severely dehydrated. It took the team two hours to detach it using a solution of oil and soap. After several rounds of cleaning over days, the owl was released in its own territory.Rapid urbanisation has led to nocturnal birds such as owls being forced to live amid concrete structures and bright lights, affecting their vision, say activists. "Glue traps were banned by the Animal Welfare Board of India and a circular issued in 2022. But they continue to be used rampantly," says Shruti Vinod Raj, member, TN animal welfare board. "It's a cruel method as trapped animals try to tear off their skin to escape. It's either that or they suffocate and starve to death. Small animals such as squirrels get trapped and die slow and painful deaths." Most e-commerce giants have blocked glue trap listings, and perpetrators will be penalised, says Praveen Rathinam, advocate.Email your feedback with name and address to southpole.toi@timesofindia.com