An unlikely symbol of cooperation, the barn owl is now gaining global attention for bringing Arab and Israeli academics together. Experts from 12 countries recently convened in Greece to discuss efforts to protect this remarkable predator, which serves as a crucial pest controller in agricultural landscapes.
Yossi Leshem, a professor emeritus at Tel Aviv University, highlights the barn owl's role in consuming thousands of rodents annually, reducing the need for harmful pesticides. However, modern construction practices have led to a decline in their populations as natural nesting sites disappear.
