Alberton SPCA finds ways to control rodents
EcoSolutions donated an owl box to the Alberton SPCA on June 6, under its owl project that aims to provide means of eradicating rats at the clinic.
ECOSOLUTIONS donated an owl box to the Alberton SPCA on June 6 with the hope that an owl will soon make this its home to help eradicate rats at the clinic.
The Township Owl Project has been in existence for 12 years now, where communities are educated about owls, and owl boxes being donated to them.
Following the death of children in Sebokeng after ingesting rat poison, EcoSolutions then initiated the Township Owl Project as a means to control rodent numbers.
After the success of the project in Sebokeng, the project was rolled out to other townships including Alexandra, Tshepisong, Soweto, Thokoza and Katlehong. It has since been registered as a non profit company (NPC).
The owl box will provide shelter for owls, which will be beneficial to the clinic as owls are birds of prey feeding on rodents- rats.
Delina Chipape, of EcoSolutions, said that owls are effective for rodent control, and the box will create a friendly environment for the pets at the clinic.
“Donating this box will attract owls to the SPCA. As soon as the box gets occupied owls will then gather in their numbers. We will also be able to judge their food availability by the number of chicks they have every year. We have provided an eco-friendly way of controlling rats within the SPCA without any use of poison,” she said.
Kingstone Siziba, general manager at the SPCA, thanked EcoSolutions for their donation.
“Each and every animal to us is very important, we always advocate that even when they have to be put down, that it must be done in a humane way. Instead of using rat traps, we hope that through this owl box, the project will take its course,” said Siziba.
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