Hyderabad, Telangana: Quarrying operations at a stone quarry in Vikarabad district have been suspended for about a month to allow a rare rock eagle owl to hatch its eggs, in a move praised as environmentally responsible.

The rock eagle owl, which feeds on insects, rats, and small animals, is primarily found in South-East Asia and is known for inhabiting rocky terrains rather than forests. While the species is not endangered, sightings are rare.

The Telangana Forest Department acted swiftly after wildlife photographers and conservationists alerted authorities to the presence of the bird and its clutch of five eggs.

Vikarabad District Forest Officer Gnaneswar told PTI on Thursday that wildlife photographer Manoj Kumar Vittapu, who visited the Yenkathala grasslands in Vikarabad on November

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