Volunteers from the “Everyone Can Help” center organized an educational stroll within the count’s yard to instruct schoolchildren on identifying and studying barn owls. Leonid Pokrytyuk, an ornithology expert from IERS, provided insights into the enigmatic world of owls. During the session, Mr. Pokrytyuk discussed the habitats where specific representatives of the barn owl can be observed and their lifestyles (highlighting the existence of owls that hunt during the day and rest at night). Participants explored the birds’ dietary preferences by analyzing pellets (undigested food residues that owls regurgitate after eating). Real long-eared owls were discovered on the grounds of the Orthodox church during the walk. Attendees enjoyed a close-up glimpse of a dozen birds at repose, seemingly unaffected by the human presence, using binoculars.
As part of the event, attendees received informative booklets outlining the conservation plan for the rare Barn Owl. During the handing out of these materials, Leonid Pokrytyuk underlined that Transcarpathia is home to the majority of the Barn Owl population. As a result, the future of this endangered species is strongly reliant on raising environmental awareness among people.
The event was held within the framework of cooperation between the Interreligious and Civil Environmental Forum of Eastern Europe (IRCEF) headed by Olexander Bokotey) and the German Nature Conservation Union (NABU Bundesverband, NABU International), project coordinators Ivan Tymofeiev (NABU), and Nataliya Kulya (IRCEF).
Informational Service of IRCEF