Flying free in Fourways

EcoSolutions, an environmental company that specialises in finding innovative and cost effective solutions to environmental issues in urban areas, included Lonehill and much of the area collectively known as Fourways as an official owl release area.

This came about due to favourable conditions in the area for the release of these birds of prey.

In an owl release programme, Barn and Spotted Eagle owlets are kept in release pens until they have accustomed themselves to a feeding programme in their new geographical area.

The birds are then released into the area when they are familiar with it, and allowed to live free.

Both of these owls are fond of rats and insects in their diet – creatures that are abundant in the area.

A pair of Barn owls can consume up to 2000 rats in a year, EcoSolutions said in a press release. This bodes well for residents from Lonehill who can boast natural pest control in the area.

But, natural pest control comes at a price.

“Because owls are so persecuted their numbers are decreasing and the rodent population is increasing. As a result, more and more people are turning to rat poison to control the rats. The owls catch the dying rats and are poisoned as well, leaving them to die an agonising death

as they bleed internally,” Janine Nash from EcoSolutions said.

On top of poisoning, the friendly hoot of these feathered carnivores has become scarce due to many superstitions connected to the birds.

“Perhaps it’s the unknown and secret world of these amazing animals that makes people uneasy; this lack of knowledge perpetuates imaginative myths and negative perceptions,” Nash said.

Counteracting this comes with constantly re-educating people about the birds and their habits.

EcoSolutions manage the Owl Box Project as a way to get owls into safe suburban areas. They also run a number of education programmes at schools to ensure at the end of the day, the birds continue to thrive.

Details: 011 791 7326 or 072 365 9777.