Pictures of the Year International

Fatemeh, a 33-year-old woman, has taken on the responsibility of caring for an injured owl that lost one of its wings due to a bullet shot by a human. She named the owl "Pasho." Initially, some of her friends and family members were skeptical and even considered the owl to be an omen of bad luck, but over time, Pasho has become a beloved and special member of her family.Fatemeh is a member of Ms. Mandana's team. Jun ,06, 2024 .Gorgan, Iran. In the historical stories of my country, Iran, owls were symbols of wisdom and the intellectual minds among animals. However, over time, with cultural and religious changes and the spread of superstitions, the owl suddenly became known as a sinister bird. People in some regions of northern Iran believe that owls are associated with spirits and jinns. If an owl perches on a house and its sound is heard, they consider it a sign of the impending death of one of the household members. In reality, many owls go unseen by people; often, the owls that people do see are those interested in living in human-made structures. Owls have always stirred conflicting emotions in humans and attracted attention; love and fear, hatred and admiration. Some viewed owls as intelligent, while others considered them foolish, and this contradiction still exists. Alongside people who work towards the eradication of owls, there are also individuals striving to preserve their species. Mandana is an Iranian woman who lives in northern Iran. She and her friends, using their own funds, treat and rehabilitate owls and birds of prey that get caught by humans and are subjected to abuse, then release them back into the wild. Some of these birds, however, have injuries that make it impossible for them to return to nature, and they care for these birds for the rest of their lives. She says that birds are more beautiful in the sky, and each time she releases one back into nature, it feels as though she has been freed again herself. This story is not unique to my city and country; such beliefs exist in other countries as well. In ancient Egypt, India, China, Japan and South America, owls were known as messengers of death. Many unaware individuals and children are frightened by the large, staring eyes and feathers of owls, perceiving them as sinister. One reason for this is the silent flight of these birds at night.