**3. Conservation issues**

Among several wild bird species, owls are presented by local communities of Iraq and Syria for several reasons. In Iraq, the illegal trapping of owls and other birds of prey is commonly and regularly practiced by local communities throughout Iraq [40–42]. Each year, thousands of captured owls of different species are trapped by local hunters and exhibited in the local animal markets in major Iraqi cities. As these birds are forbidden to be hunted in the Islamic religion, the psychological motivation of why these birds are trapped by local hunters has been investigated [39]. The major motives that drive locals to trap birds of prey are the weak implementation of hunting laws and the absence of religious inducement, which drives local communities to pose a further impact on biodiversity through species persecution. Al-Sheikhly [39] analyzed the causes of why local trappers were conducting illegal acts despite their full knowledge that such practices are banned by Islamic religion and Iraqi law. He found that increased levels of poverty are enforcing local communities to apply further pressure on the native biodiversity to compensate for their shortage of livelihood

income. Moreover, the local trappers expressed secretive behavior and hesitated to reveal any information on their exact hunting/trapping vicinities and techniques they used, which complicate the validity of the investigation. Despite of what is mentioned above, hunting of wild species with unjustified needs is prohibited in the Islamic faith; however, the psychological insistence of local trappers/hunters to perform such unethical/illegal practices are still far to be known.

Each year, besides other birds of prey, such as *Aquila* eagles, vultures, harriers, and falcons, different owl species are exhibited in the local animal markets of Iraq and Syria to be sold as cage birds or to be used for traditional medicine or sorcery. On one occasion at the local animal market in Baghdad, six owl species along with other different species of migrant raptors were trapped for one day in the arid plateau of Southwestern Iraq. A total of 65 Western Barn (**Figure 1**), 61 Pallid Scops; 72 Shorteared (**Figure 2**), 22 Long-eared (**Figure 3**), 2 Eurasian Eagle, and 3 Pharaoh Eagle owls were observed. They were sold for prices ranging from 10 to 50 US\$, depending on their age and state of health. Birds are often presented in poor health with injuries usually caused by aggressive trapping and/or careless handling and many die, unfortunately [14, 39, 40]. As ideologically close communities of Iraq and Syria, it is possible that trappers' behaviors and practices are similar in both countries. However, due to current political unrest, information on birds of prey, including owls trapping in Syria, is extremely scarce and requires dedicated research. In Iraq, the trappers used several large mist nets and Dho-Gazza traps set near desert oases to trap thirsty and exhausted migrant owls and other birds of prey. On a few occasions, trappers used the less effective Bal-chatri traps to trap small-bodied owls like Scops owls.

As elsewhere in Arabia, owls are a symbol of ominous and traditionally are not preferable to be raised inside houses [14]. Nowadays, this belief has dramatically changed in Iraq; young people are looking for adult owls and owlets to be raised as pets. The "attractive look and secretive behavior" of owls are attracting young buyers who showed interest to buy these unique birds. That admire drives local trappers to persist in their illegal quest by trapping more and more owl species on a regular basis. Moreover, owls and their body parts are used as a talismanic recipe in black sorcery,

#### **Figure 1.**

*A large group of migrant Western barn owl Tyto alba cuffed by tape and stacked in a local animal market in Baghdad, Iraq. Photo© Omar Al-Sheikhly.*

*Queens of the Night, the Owls of Iraq and Syria - Species, Current Distribution,… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.109571*

#### **Figure 2.**

*Another group of migrant Short-eared owl Asio flammeus caged in a local animal market in Baghdad, Iraq. Photo© Omar Al-Sheikhly.*

#### **Figure 3.**

*A group of migrant Long-eared owl Asio otus aggressively caged and presented in a local animal market in Baghdad, Iraq. Photo© Omar Al-Sheikhly.*

which is commonly practiced by some local communities; a desire implies further pressure on owl populations in Iraq and Syria. The view of majority of people's attitude toward owls has not changed since ancient times, as they are a symbol of pessimism and bring bad luck, and are seen by some local residents as the embodiment of the souls of the oppressed dead, and the embodiment of the souls of the old fighters who came for revenge, and many parts of the owl have not stopped so far in the work of magic and sorcery. But recently, some people's view of these birds has changed, and they have turned into ornamental birds that are bred in farms and homes, especially the Western Barn Owl, Eagle Owl, and Tawny Owl, and this is due to the calmness of these birds in general, and they seem to be accustomed to socializing with humans rapidly. Owls have become popular trade. This has led locals to take owl chicks from their nests (without even knowing their species) or catch adults to be offered for sale in local markets or through social sites (**Figure 4**). This act has spread in recent years, especially in light of weak enforcement of hunting laws and trafficking of live animals. According to local wildlife traders' interviewees, some of the large owl species are also smuggled to neighboring countries to be sold as pets, especially in Iraq, Lebanon, and Jordan. Moreover, another factor that indirectly has notably contributed to owls' mortality is due to the use of agricultural pesticides. Large numbers of dead owls were observed in the agricultural lands and cultivated fields, where pesticides were largely used throughout Syria (Ahmad Aidek to Omar Al-Sheikhly pers. comm. 2022).

The weak implementation of strict hunting and wildlife protection laws in Syria has led to the dramatic decline of many wildlife species, including owls. Owls are not only in urgent need of protection, they are part of the Syrian wildlife natural heritage, their ecological necessity in maintaining ecological stability, and key players in the biological control of pests, which warrants conservation. The continuance of such practices combined with other anthropogenic threats (e.g., poisoning, habitat destruction, disturbance … etc.) could result in a significant decline in the population of resident and migrant owl species in Iraq and Syria. The serious conservation actions

*Queens of the Night, the Owls of Iraq and Syria - Species, Current Distribution,… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.109571*

to address such illegal practices through raising awareness among local communities and enforcing new hunting restrictions are urgently needed to stop such practices, otherwise, such tragedy will continue.
