General News of Sunday, 24 October 2021Source: www.ghanaweb.com• The Atewa Forest is scheduled to be turned into a national park• It is home to some of the rarest species of animals• Two researchers have photographed a rare owl at the forestNewsweek has reported that an enormous owl, a Shelley’s Eagle Owl, that has eluded researchers for around 150 years, has finally been photographed in Ghana’s Atewa Forest. The Shelley's Eagle Owl - an animal desperately sought after by birdwatchers since reports of sightings have often been unconfirmed, first emerged in the 1870s but has since only had glimpses of its species caught elsewhere. However, only last week, the report added, two researchers snapped a crystal-clear shot of this rare bird, perched on a branch in Ghana's Atewa forest. Nathaniel Annorbah, from the University of Environment and Sustainable Development in Ghana said Tobias and Williams' discovery was "sensational." BirdLife International, an environmental group, said the Shelley's Eagle Owl is listed as vulnerable with its decline in part, due to the clearance of its habitat by humans.
