Pakistan’s owl population is facing a steep decline as habitat loss, shrinking prey and illegal poaching continue to threaten the survival of the nocturnal raptors that play a vital role in balancing ecosystems.
Local experts warn that without stronger protection and enforcement, several species could disappear from large parts of the country.
“Like many other birds, owls have lost their habitat and prey base, especially in and around urban areas,” Uzma Khan, a Lahore-based wildlife expert with WWF-Pakistan, told Anadolu. “Deforestation, pollution and unplanned urbanization have drastically reduced tree cover and nesting sites.”
Gradual deforestation, ornamental tree planting and unplanned urbanization have led to a steady decline in owl numbers, as most species prefer to nest in tree cavities or old nests of larger birds, she explained.
“Owls are predators and feed on small animals like birds, rodents, reptiles and some of them on insects as well,” she said. “But the unchecked conversion of agricultural lands for the construction of human settlements in recent decades has badly impacted owls’ prey base.”
Khan said illegal poaching adds to the pressure, as some owls are trapped and sold as pets or for use in traditional practices. Others die after colliding with vehicles. Reports have also surfaced of owls being killed or injured by people who use their body parts for black magic rituals.
Pakistan is home to 16 species of owls, though comprehensive population data is lacking.
In southern Sindh province, authorities have recorded at least 10 species, including the Indian scops owl, collared scops owl, pallid scops owl, short-eared owl, long-eared owl, rock eagle owl, dusky eagle owl, brown fish owl, eastern barn owl and spotted owlet.
Sindh Wildlife Department Director General Javed Ahmed Mahar said his department plans to conduct new surveys to assess owl and bird populations as part of a recently announced provincial government conservation policy.
Some localized studies indicate that owl populations have declined in several regions. Khan said research has shown that species such as the Himalayan barred owlet, oriental scops owl and pallid scops owl have disappeared from sites including Margalla Hills National Park in Islamabad, where they were recorded in the early 1990s. Even so, she said the sighting of some smaller owl species has improved in urban areas.
“Some species, for example, the ‘spotted’ owl or ‘little’ owl, regularly use structures, houses, ledges and survive in human settlements, hence one sees them around frequently in urban areas,” she said. Karachi-based wildlife researcher Zafeer Ahmad Shaikh said that the expansion of cities has, in some cases, created new habitats.
“Roofs of apartment buildings, in particular, serve as sanctuaries for little owls because no one owns them (roofs) and they usually remain abandoned or are used for the installation of water tanks. This provides a perfect place for little owls to inhabit,” he told Anadolu.
Despite their ecological importance, owls are often misunderstood in Pakistan. While many cultures associate them with wisdom or luck, locally they are frequently dismissed as “foolish.”
“In reality, owls are bio-regulators,” Shaikh said. “They help control rodent and reptile populations, which benefits both forests and agriculture.”
But under Pakistan’s wildlife laws, not all owl species are protected. Some can be hunted under permit – though such licenses are rarely issued – a loophole that enables illegal trade.
“Higher protection should be offered to owl species to preserve their precious ecological function and service,” Khan said.
Mahar, however, said the Sindh government has enacted specific provisions barring the use of owls in black magic and added penalties under the wildlife protection laws, in addition to a complete ban on the raptor’s hunting and poaching.
However, in Punjab, the country’s largest province, that is not the case.
“Hunting of some species is allowed through a special shooting license, but it’s very rare,” Kamran Bukhari, a senior official of the Punjab Wildlife Department, told Anadolu.