IN A bid to combat the rising threat of rodent infestations in paddy fields, researchers from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) are turning to an eco-friendly, time-tested ally, the barn owl.
Led by Assoc. Prof Dr. Hasber Salim of USM’s School of Biological Sciences, the Barn Owl and Rodent Research Group, is championing the use of barn owls as a biological form of pest control.
The initiative focuses on deploying barn owls, known for their near-exclusive diet of rodents, to reduce rat populations in rice fields naturally.
“This is a concept of biological control, where we use barn owls to target pests, specifically the rats that damage crops in paddy fields.
“The enemy of our enemy is our friend, and in this case, the rats are the enemy, while barn owls are our allies.
“There are 22 species of owls in Malaysia, and among them, the barn owl (Tyto alba) stands out for its exceptional pest-hunting ability,” Dr. Hasber told reporters from Buletin Mutiara during an exclusive interview at USM on May 23.
According to Dr. Hasber, extensive studies, both in Malaysia and globally, have shown that 99% of the barn owl’s diet consists of rats.
“When you have a family of barn owls, say, two adults and three chicks, they can consume up to 3,000 rats in a year,” he noted.
However, getting these nocturnal hunters to settle in the paddy fields requires more than just releasing them into the wild.
He said one major hurdle is that barn owls do not build their nests.
“Without a suitable nesting environment near food sources, the birds are unlikely to remain in the fields.
“In 2014, we began studying the owls’ behaviour, ecosystem, and nesting needs.
“We designed custom nest boxes tailored to their habits and comfort. One owl family in a single nest box can cover and protect 5 to 10 acres of farmland,” Dr. Hasber further explained.
In a related development, with a $10,000 grant from Global Living, the team led by Dr. Hasber brought 20 farmers in Kepala Batas into the project.
Each farmer received a specially designed nest box to host a barn owl family, creating a network of biological pest controllers across the region.
The USM team also helped install the boxes and equipped each with surveillance cameras to monitor the owls’ activity and behaviour. The collected data, including regurgitated owl pellets, is then analysed for insights into the effectiveness of rodent control.
“The paddy fields are like playgrounds for rats. Without intervention, they cause immense agricultural damage.
“This method is not only environmentally friendly, but also sustainable and cost-effective for local farmers,” he added.
Importantly, the team also places emphasis on shifting public perception. In Malay, owls are often referred to as burung hantu, or “ghost birds”, a term that carries superstition and stigma.
“We avoid using the word hantu in our education and awareness campaigns.
“Hantu means ‘ghost,’ and for over 20 years, we have noticed a lingering stigma.
“We want to change that and be able to help people understand that these birds are not to be feared, but embraced as part of the agricultural ecosystem,” Dr. Hasber said.
With positive early results from Kepala Batas, the researchers hope their owl-powered pest control system will be adopted more widely across Malaysia.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Daneshwaran