The Benefits of Barn Owls (Tyto alba Sco.) in the Management to Rice Field Rat (Rattus argentiventer Rob. & Klo.) in Guntur District, Demak Regency, Central Java Province, Indonesia

Abstract

The attack of rice field rats (Rattus argentiventer) is spread almost all of rice fields in Indonesia at all growth stadium, both vegetative and early and late of generative. Several control methods have been implemented including rodenticides (poison baiting), fumigant (poison smoke), hunting (“gropyokan”), and electric fencing. However, it is not yet effective in controlling field rats in the fields, so it needed an environmental friendly and safe control innovation, namely the use of predator to the rat pests in the form of barn owls (Tyto alba). The aim of this study is to obtain the benefits use of barn owls (T. alba) to manage rice field rats population in the role of ecological, economical, and social factors. The research was conducted in Guntur District, Demak Regency, Central Java, Indonesia, from August to October 2022 by conducting a direct survey using a structured questionnaire and field observations. The sampling location and determination of respondents using the sampling method with 30 respondents. Data was processed and analyzed using the Microsoft excel 2019 application. The results showed that the benefits of using T. alba was effective in controlling rats which was seen in ecological, economical, and social factors. Barn owl was able to control 3-5 rats in one night. As the result, it increased the yield of rice production with a R/C ratio of 2.81 and a B/C ratio of 3.84, it means the barn owl is feasible to be developed in the rice fields area. The successful management of rice field ras population using T. alba in Guntur District was supported by stakeholder collaboration and policies in the form of written regulations.