Naveen Patnaik finds a white owl in his garden

BHUBANESWAR: Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who found an injured white owl, handed over the bird to the Nandankanan zoo authorities here for treatment on Wednesday.

According to sources in 'Naveen Niwas', his residence near the airport, Patnaik found the owl on Tuesday morning during a walk in the garden.

"The chief minister picked up the bird and asked his staff to immediately contact Nandankanan zoo authority for help," said an official at the CM's residence.

The zoo director Ajit Kumar Patnaik confirmed receipt of the owl from the CM's residence.

"The owl was sick. It has some problems in its wings and therefore fell on the ground," he said adding it was hospitalised at the veterinary unit for a day.

On Wednesday, the owl was fit to fly on its own. "We have decided to free the bird tomorrow," he said.