Saving owls
Today’s Geo Quiz is about owls: the country we want you to name is home to some 30 species of owl. Some owls are used by practitioners of sorcery, or �black magic� but the country’s environment minister has identified another problem. He’s blaming fans of Harry Potter for fueling the illegal trade.
Today’s Geo Quiz is about owls: the country we want you to name is home to some 30 species of owl. And many of those species are under threat from an illegal trade in the wild birds.
Some owls are used by practitioners of sorcery, or �black magic� but the country’s environment minister has identified another problem. He’s blaming fans of Harry Potter for fueling the illegal trade.
Apparently, some parents in this country are buying owls for their children, as gifts at Harry Potter-themed birthday parties. Harry’s snowy owl, Hedwig, would be alarmed.
So, can you name the country where a government minister is pointing an accusatory finger at the boy wizard?
Geo Answer:
The answer is India, where Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh is blaming fans of Harry Potter for their role in endangering India’s wild owl population. Anchor Lisa Mullins finds out more from Samir Sinha, the head of Traffic International, a wildlife trade monitoring network.
The story you just read is not locked behind a paywall because listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. If you’ve been thinking about making a donation, this is the best time to do it. Your support will get our fundraiser off to a solid start and help keep our newsroom on strong footing. If you believe in our work, will you give today? We need your help now more than ever!