Context:

• Three pairs of barn owls shipped to the Lakshadweep Islands from Kerala in 2019 have apparently proven such skilful slayers of pesky rats, which have been ravaging the coconut plantations that the Union Territory is hoping to recruit more of the “winged assassins”.
• The Lakshadweep Administration had embarked on the ‘Pilot project on Biological Control of Rodents (Rats) by Using Barn Owls (Tyto alba) in Kavaratti Island’.

Barn owl:

• The barn owl (Tyto alba) is the most widely distributed species of owl in the world and one of the most widespread of all species of birds. It is also known as the common barn owl.
• IUCN Conservation status- Least Concern
• The barn owl is found almost everywhere in the world except for the polar and desert regions, Asia north of the Himalayas, most of Indonesia, and some Pacific islands.

Reference: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/lakshadweep-islands-to-have-more-kerala-barn-owls-to-kill-rats/article32467160.ece#:~:text=Three%20pairs%20of%20barn%20owls,of%20the%20%E2%80%9Cwinged%20assassins%E2%80%9D.

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