|  Barn owls are being used as an ecological means to control rat populations around the world, and are now being released in Alex, which is plagued by the rodents. A creature once regarded by many as evil has now come to the rescue of Alexandra residents, after normal means of solving the rat infestation have completely failed.
The much-feared barn owls, which are considered bad omen in many societies, have been adopted by the City in an attempt to rid the township of rats. The City, in conjunction with EcoSolutions, has installed owl nesting and release boxes in three schools in Alexandra – Zenzeleni Primary, Iphuteng Primary and Minerva Secondary.
Called the Owl Box Project, it will run in Alexandra for the next three years. Under this programme, local communities and schoolchildren will be taught about the important role that owls play in eradicating rats.
Speaking at its launch at Three Square in Alexandra on Friday, 16 March, Mandla Ngwenya from EcoSolutions said the barn owls would stay in their nesting boxes for 21 days. They would be fed daily by a group of students with food provided by EcoSolutions.
The event was widely attended by City officials and Alex residents. “After 21 days they will be released into the environment to feed on the rats,” said Ngwenya, adding that they would return to the boxes at the schools of their own accord if they were comfortable there.
Ngwenya explained that barn owls could catch an average of six to 10 rats a night each for feeding their young, depending on the number of owlets in the nest. “A pair of barn owls and their young ones are capable of consuming 3 000 mice per year,” said Ngwenya. “It is an ecological, non-toxic way to a balanced ecosystem.”
Nocturnal hunting There are 12 species of owls in South Africa, the most common in Gauteng being the barn owl and spotted eagle owl. Barn owls are highly adapted to nocturnal hunting. They possess morphological characteristics that permit silent flight.
The silent flight does not alert prey and also aids the birds’ highly sensitive hearing, another adaptation for hunting at night, even in total darkness. EcoSolutions runs owls projects at schools in many Joburg suburbs. The long-term goal is to encourage owls to live in the area.
Region E’s regional director, Liziwe Ntshinga-Makoro, said there was a lot of superstition associated with owls. “It is upon us to go out and educate communities about the important role of owls, without undermining their beliefs.”
However, she pointed out, the owl pilot project would not work if people did not practice cleanliness. The rats plaguing Alex feed on scraps of food from bins or on rubbish dumped in the streets. They are known to chew through doors and creep into houses in their search for food.
Rat poison Using owls, people could avoid using chemical-based rat bait, which was so toxic that it could kill children, she added.
The member of the mayoral committee for health, Nonceba Molwele, said rat poison was a major threat to the owl population in urban areas. She appealed to the public to avoid using chemical-based rat poisons, which threatened the survival of owls.
The head of Region E’s health department, Vusi Mazibuko, also urged residents to clear vegetation that might become a rat habitat, to help control the problem. “Rats are some of the most troublesome and damaging rodents in the city. They eat and contaminate food, damage structures and transmit parasites and diseases to other animals and humans.”
He encouraged people to keep cats or dogs in their yards to scare off rats. “Rats are a bit scared of dogs. If you keep a dog in the yard, chances are you will be able to keep them away,” said Mazibuko “Cats, on the other hand, are interested in killing rats.”
Mandla Barn owls will help get rid of rats Sello Lemao, the portfolio head of economic development, encouraged people to unite to create a livable settlement. “Owls are beneficial to people and should be encouraged, not persecuted.”
Rat Cage Project In another move, Tiaan Ehlers, the City’s director of development management, said 100 rat cages would be distributed to residents to trap rodents. After the rats were trapped inside the cage, the cage would be put inside a black plastic container and a carbon monoxide machine would be used to fumigate them.
The cages would then be cleaned and disinfected. “The success of the Rat Cage Project depends on the harnessing of the project and encouragement of the community to keep their living areas free from litter,” said Ehlers.
After the launch of the pilot project, Alex residents were given cages by the City to trap rats. One resident, Sandile Mbuyane, thanked the City for its efforts. “There are a lot of rats here. They are big and are not afraid of anyone and eat almost anything.”
Rodent control programmes using barn owls as biological control have been successfully implemented in Malaysia, the United States of America, Israel and other parts of South Africa.
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