Barn owls for rat control on oil palm plantations - do they work

Chia T.H., . and Lim J.L., . and Buckle A., . Barn owls for rat control on oil palm plantations - do they work. pp. 109-117. ISSN 0126-575X

Although rodenticides have been used successfully for many years for the control of rats in oil palm plantings interest has been generated recently on the potential of barn owls as agents of biological control. The complexity of this predator-prey system and logistical difficulties make the relationships between owl numbers rat densities and crop damage difficult to study using normal research techniques. In this paper we examine information derived from two alternative study methods: computer modelling and practical field observation. The former shows that the objective of owls moderating rodent populations (i.e. neither eradicating them nor allowing them to increase substantially) may be achieved only under narrowly defined conditions of initially relatively low rodent numbers and high barn owl density. When rats are numerous owls are unable to reduce rodent populations without the aid of some external influence such as rodenticides. Evidence from field observations is conflicting. On at least one estate owls have controlled rats and presumably their own population has reamained viable. On several other estates as predicted by computer modelling barn owls are having no measurable impact on high and damaging rat infestations

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Abstract

Although rodenticides have been used successfully for many years for the control of rats in oil palm plantings interest has been generated recently on the potential of barn owls as agents of biological control. The complexity of this predator-prey system and logistical difficulties make the relationships between owl numbers rat densities and crop damage difficult to study using normal research techniques. In this paper we examine information derived from two alternative study methods: computer modelling and practical field observation. The former shows that the objective of owls moderating rodent populations (i.e. neither eradicating them nor allowing them to increase substantially) may be achieved only under narrowly defined conditions of initially relatively low rodent numbers and high barn owl density. When rats are numerous owls are unable to reduce rodent populations without the aid of some external influence such as rodenticides. Evidence from field observations is conflicting. On at least one estate owls have controlled rats and presumably their own population has reamained viable. On several other estates as predicted by computer modelling barn owls are having no measurable impact on high and damaging rat infestations

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Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	ill. 21 ref.
AGROVOC Term:	ELAEIS GUINEENSIS
AGROVOC Term:	CONTROL DE ROEDORES
AGROVOC Term:	CONTROL BIOLOGICO
AGROVOC Term:	LECHUZA
AGROVOC Term:	PAJAROS DEPREDADORES
AGROVOC Term:	POBLACION ANIMAL
AGROVOC Term:	MALASIA
AGROVOC Term:	PALMAS OLEAGINOSAS
Depositing User:	Ms. Norfaezah Khomsan
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 05:56
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/20843

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