More owls will be introduced into Alexandra to deal with the rat menace.
Owls were introduced last year by the City of Johannesburg as a pilot to eradicate rats which can be a health hazard to residents if not contained.
Danny Mauwane, Health (Pest) Environmental Practitioner of City of Johannesburg said the pilot had been successful. “An analysis of the their droppings in and around the cages show rat bones and other rat residues,” said Mauwane. He added that some residents had seen the owls flying off at night.
The owls were distributed in cages at Minerva Secondary School, Zenzeleni, Iphutheng and Carter Primary Schools. Of the 12, the ones at Minerva survived, those at Zenzeleni died of unknown causes and the rest relocated as birds are prone to move regularly to more comfortable sites. The city council hopes they have moved to other sites in Alexandra and are still actively hunting rats.
Also, the city council has observed a change in the community’s attitude to the birds. “Most communities have a traditional revulsion for owls which they associate with witchcraft,” Maubane added. “That’s why we introduced them at schools where children are more open and easily accept the health benefits derived from the owls. We thank the children for converting their parents and guardians to the health value derived from the owls.”
The city council also provides special cages to trap rats. It has distributed 340 of these cages to community development workers to place at strategic points. Engine driven smoke emitters are also used to suffocate rats in borrows and underground sewer pipes. “We prefer these methods to pesticides because they are environmentally friendly,” Mauwane concluded.
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