Sinister trade

Opposite the 17th century Red Fort in Old Delhi lies the famous bird market, known locally as the Kabootar Bazaar (pigeon market).

Rather than pigeons, however, the few small shops display mainly exotic birds, in cages filthy with droppings and rotting leftover food. Their bright yellow and red feathers lend a conspicuous vibrancy to the dull, dirty shops.

One animal you are unlikely to see caged is the owl, as shopkeepers know selling them is illegal. All 32 species of the bird are protected under India's 1972 Wildlife Protection Act. But they are available for anyone willing to pay the price.

Owls remain one of the most sought-after wild birds in India, as they are believed to possess occult powers. They are sacrificed by people looking to improve their financial situation, or to cast a bad luck spell on a rival. Their body parts are used as good luck charms in the form of amulets.

Owl trade and rituals happen all year around, but peak around the Hindu festival of Diwali, which in 2016 falls on October 30. That spike in trade is due to the belief that Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth who is worshipped on Diwali, is closely connected to the bird. So for someone hoping to turn their fortunes around, this would appear to be the perfect time. 

Owls in two sizes

Initially, inquiries made by DW reporters posing as potential buyers in the capital's bird market, seeking an owl for sacrifice, reached a dead end as soon as the shopkeepers appeared wary and suspicious. However, a little persistence led us to a stocky young man with stubble who made no mention of the legality or lack thereof of dealing in owls.

Owls were available, he said. 

We could have an owlet for 8,000 rupees (100 euros) and a big one for 20,000 rupees (260 euros). To get the latter, we would have to wait for a few days after paying half the amount in advance, as they are generally procured from outside Delhi. 

"The small ones can be had at a day's notice," said the shopkeeper, with the confidence of a veteran.

Enter the shaman

The deal includes the services of a professional shaman or witchdoctor who would perform the sacrifice. The shopkeeper had the cell number of his preferred guy readily available on a wall in his shop.

It was the shaman, a middle-aged man dressed in formal trousers and a long-sleeved shirt, his eyes lined with kohl and teeth stained from heavy use of betel nuts, who explained why one should go for the bigger owl. 

According to him, the sacrifice of the big owl reduces the time it takes for the goddess to grant the wish. The nails and the eyes of the sacrificed owl can be used to make amulets, he said.

The shaman, who gets a commission from the owl trader, added that he has catered to all kinds of clients. "Even politicians do it before elections," he claimed.   
A crime without a trace

Just five minutes' walk from the bird market is the iconic red Shri Digambar Jain Temple that houses the small Charity Bird Hospital. 

The veterinarian on duty told DW that volunteers bring in about three to four wounded owls a month. He added they had to be handed over to a government body right after administering first aid.

The government's policy is to re-release the owls into their natural habitat, once they are healthy and after a case has been filed in if a crime was involved. But the national Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has no such owl crimes on record. It could be that the individual state enforcement agencies have simply not shared information about local cases, says an inspector working for the national agency, established in 2007. But he also says owls are not a priority for them. 

"They fall in schedule 4 of the act, which means they are not an endangered species," said the inspector, who did not want to be named as he is not authorized to speak to the media.

Widespread trade

WCCB does hire police to patrol bird markets around the time of Diwali. But the inspector explained that catching traders with an owl is quite a challenge, as they are not on display. And buying one would mean paying up in advance, "which has ethical objections," he adds.

Still, trade in owls is widespread all over India, says ornithologist Abrar Ahmed. In 2010, he published an extensive report on the topic, in association with the wildlife protection organisations TRAFFIC and WWF India. 

During his survey, he recorded 20 markets where at least 20,000 wild birds were traded annually, including owls. But due to the clandestine nature of the trade, Ahmed says exact numbers are hard to come by.

Superstition and black magic are the main reasons for the trade, which occurs across communities and religions, Ahmed told DW, speaking from Mumbai on India's west coast.

The result is that owl species living in Indian forests are "certainly on decline," says ornithologist Girish Jathar of the wildlife research organization Bombay Natural History Society. 

Jathar cited illegal trade as a major reason for owls' decline, along with deforestation, habitat encroachment and the conversion of forests for development projects.

Deep roots to problem

Not much has changed since his report was published. Initially, the trade decreased, Ahmed said. "The minister for environment launched the report, and the traders started to fear the government," says Ahmed. But six years later, the effect has worn off - largely because not enough action was taken to strike the trade at its root, he thinks.

"Pamphlets in local languages should be distributed in the areas where owls are captured," Ahmed suggested.

According to his report, some tribal communities are traditionally involved in capturing owls from forests. 

"Once an owl is captured, it is as good as dead," said Ahmed.