This study was carried out to determine the biodiversity of rodents and
their distribution in Syrian Arab Republic, and to evaluate the role of owls as
natural enemies against rodents.
The investigation of owl pellets indicated that small mammals
in general
and especially rodents are the main food of owls. This investigation was able to
identify ١٤ species, representing five families of rodents inside the pellets
collected from different locations in Syria. these are:
Microtus socialis.; Mesocricetus auratus; Cricetulus migratorius; Tatera
indica; Mus musculus; Rattus norvegicus; Rattus rattus; Nesokia indica;
Meriones tristrami; Meriones libycus; Meriones crassus; Allactaga euphratica;
Jaculus jaculus and Spalax leucodon.