Christodoulos Christodoulou, a farmer in the demilitarized zone that divides Cyprus, is experimenting with a natural solution to control the proliferation of rodents in his crops. Thanks to the installation of owl boxes, the birds are now driving out the rats and mice that used to destroy his crops and damage his tires. This initiative, led by BirdLife Cyprus and the Cypriot government, aims to increase the population of barn owls in the region, as their numbers have declined in Europe.
Some 50 wooden boxes with circular openings have been placed in trees in the area, and the village of Deneia, in the demilitarized corridor, now has between 20 and 50 barn owls and their young. These birds, which measure only 30 centimeters, have a big appetite and can devour up to 5,000 rats and mice a year. Farmers, who used to resort to poison to control rodents, can now practice organic farming thanks to the “radical” impact the owls have had on rodent control.
The installation of the owl boxes has been coordinated with the UN, and the project has been successful because the farmers have identified with these birds and reconnected with nature. This natural solution has also preserved the environment in an area that has been abandoned since the Turkish invasion in 1974. The owls have proven to be an effective and environmentally friendly way to control rodent pests in the region.
Scientist Iris Charalambidou stresses the importance of this unique environment in the demilitarized zone, which remains in a natural state compared to urban development elsewhere on the island. Working in collaboration with Turkish-Cypriot colleagues to study the owls in this area has been invaluable, as the birds do not respect boundaries drawn by humans. This initiative demonstrates how nature conservation and collaboration between communities can achieve effective and sustainable solutions to environmental challenges.