Abstract
Since its inception in 1975, Gratitude Avian Rehabilitation (GAR) has been involved with ethe care of orphaned and injured birds and their rehabilitation. In December 1996 GAR acquired and orphaned young Bubo bubo bengalensis. Since then two more have come into its possession. Given the birds status (Schedue 1 o the Wildlife Act, 1972) lack of suitable untenanted habitat and risk of releasing raptors not well schooled in the art hunting, it was decided to establish a captive breeding population iwth the aim to rehabilitate future generations - as has been so successfully carried out in Germany, Sweden, etc. with the European sub-species Bubo bubo bubo. Meanwhile ethological and ecological field studies were undertaken to better understand the wild population and habitats in and around the Union Territorry of Pondicherry.