Alleging that the Red Indian Horned Owl, locally known as hoodoo, is being sold to NASA for facilitating research works, People for Animals, a non-government organisation working against cruelty against animals, has decided to move Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi urging the latter to initiate measures for protection of the endangered species. Sangeeta Goswami, president of People for Animals, Assam chapter, alleged that the endangered birds are being sold for Rs 25 lakh each in the international market, which, of late, has caught the attention of animal activists worldwide. "Recently, an animal activist from Australia wrote to me expressing displeasure over the spurt in such activities, especially concerning the NASA, where intensive research works are being carried out. As these birds are being smuggled from Assam and its neighbouring areas, the matter was brought to our notice,' Goswami said during a press conference recently. "Such things were there and we did intimate State Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain about the sinister developments but to no avail. However, as the illegal trade of endangered birds, especially via the Myanmar route, has increased manifold in the recent past, we have decided to move the Chief Minister and if required even the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest would be moved,' Goswami said, adding that a survey done last year revealed that the present population of hoodoo is limited to just over 300. Earlier, Goswami rued that owing to lack of prompt action on the part of the city police, a group of animal activists including herself failed to rescue two hoodoos from the city. "I had specific information about two such birds being brought to the city but the police did not act accordingly even though I intimated them about it. We tried our best to rescue the birds but ended up injuring ourselves. Finally, an FIR (919/08 U/s 354/352 IPC) was lodged with the Dispur Police Station but it was too late by then,' Goswami said.