Tomakeroomforagriculture,treesandotherplantsareoftenclearedawaysothatfarmershavespacetogrowcrops.Theclearingofforestsforcesmanyanimalsfromtheirhomes.Theyoftenfleetheareainsearchofanewplacetolive.Thereisabigdownsidetothat.Someofthoseanimalsarenaturalpredators.Theycontrolpestpopulations.Theycanhelptoclearthefieldsofrats,mice,andotherrodentsthateatanddamagecrops.
ThishappenedatonesmallfarmingvillageinIndonesia.Afterlandwasclearedforfarming,ratsandmicebeganappearinginlargenumbers.Villagerstriedtotargettheanimalsbysmokingthemoutandhuntingthem.Butthevillagerswereunsuccessful.
So,onefarmerdecidedtotryanothermethod—anaturalone.
PujoArtobroughtowlstohisfarm.Owls,afterall,areexpertsathuntingrodents.Itiswhattheydo.Anditworked!However,PujoArtodidn‘tstopwithhisownfield.HesetupaNaturalPredatorProgramme.Now,owlsarebusycatchingratsandmiceinthefieldsaroundthevillageofTlogoweru.Thereisahugeupside:noneedforchemicalpesticideswhichcanharmnotonlyrodents,butothercreatures.
In2011,theIndonesianmanbegansettingupboxeswheretheowlslive.Heisalsoraisingowletsinthevillage.Afteraboutfourmonths,theyoungbirdsarereleased.Thesefacilitieshaveraisedmorethanowls.Theyhavealsoraisedawarenessinthecommunityabouttheimportanceofowls.Theyraisedawarenesswithintheircommunitybybuildinghomesforthoseowls.Atthesametime,governmentofficialshelpedtocreatelawstoprotectthoseowls.
Inadditiontocontrollingpestsnaturally,thereisanotherupsidetotheprogramme.Hisvillageisnowapopularstopforeco-tourists.Peopleinterestedinlearningmoreaboutowls,wildlifeprotectionandnaturalpestcontrolcometohisvillagetolearnmore.
1.Whydidtheowlsgetawayfromthelandaroundthevillage?
A.Therewasnofoodtoeat.
B.Thereweretoomanyratsandmice.
C.Theyweresmokedaway.
D.Theyhadnoplacetolive.
2.NaturalPredatorProgrammeis .
A.touseowlstocatchthecrop-damagingrodents
B.toattracteco-touriststothevillage
C.toraiseawarenessofprotectingforests
D.tocontrolpestsbyusingchemicalpesticides
3.Whichofthefollowingistherightorderaccordingtothepassage?
a.introducingowls
b.pestsbeingcontrollednaturally
c.rodentsappearinginlargenumbers
d.clearingforests
A.abcd B.bcda C.dcab D.dabc
4.Whatisthemainideaofthepassage?
A.Theimportanceofprotectingowls.
B.Indonesianvillageusesowlstoprotectcrops.
C.Theadvantagesofusingnaturalpredatorsinagriculture.
D.Thegovernment‘sroleinusingowlstocontrolpests.
