Myths put owls in danger
Some call them beautiful birds, some call them birds of bad luck.

Owls are also known as the creatures with eyes bigger than their brains.
We spoke to some of the NEWS readers asking them what they think of these birds.
Bedfordview resident and environmental activist, Ms Samantha Martin, said superstitions surrounding owls are found all over the worldand they are a danger to these species.
“Owls are associated with a wide range of superstitions concerning magic, prophecy, death and witchcraft. People have persecuted owls for these beliefs across the globe. Scientifically there is no basis for such cultural superstitions which leads to incredible cruelty to these animals. Owls in South Africa are deemed vulnerableand certain species are listed as threatened in terms of our biodiversity legislation,” Ms Martin said.
She added that people may be prosecuted for capturing, breeding, transporting, keeping and killing owls in South Africa.
“In terms of our legislation, owls require special protection in order to conserve their numbers and protect them from extinction,” Ms Martin said.
She added that the owls also play a crucial role in the ecosystem.
“Prey varies from insects, other invertebrates, rodents and reptiles. Owls contribute substantially towards controlling rodents and other potentially problematic animals and are therefore an ally to landowners, in particular grain farmers. Due to this, many farmers use owls as a sustainable method to circumvent rodents as pests,” she said.
She said owls need to be protected.
“It is important for people to realise that these beautiful creatures are part of our biodiversity and heritage. Owls face numerous threats, including habitat destruction, annual slash and burn fires, poisoning from pesticides and rodent poisons, and general harm from humans in terms of cultural practices,” said Ms Martin.