Yossi Leshem is a Professor Emeritus at the School of Zoology at Tel Aviv University and the director and founder of the International Center for the Study of Bird Migration. He began his career in 1971 at the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, where he later served as CEO (1991–1995) and chair of its public council. For five decades, Leshem has researched bird migration and raptor breeding ecology. His doctoral research reduced aircraft-bird collisions by 76%, saving the national budget $1.5 billion. He led the national effort to use barn owls as biological pest control agents in agriculture, significantly reducing pesticide use. In 2002, Leshem initiated a joint project with Jordanian and Palestinian partners, integrating barn owl-based pest control with education, peacebuilding, research, and conservation. The project expanded into a national and regional initiative, with 5,000 nesting boxes. He and his colleagues now lead an international effort, Owls for Peace, involving 13 countries using barn owls for sustainable pest control in agriculture.