Animal rights campaigners are flocking to protest a
government-supported move to scare off tens of thousands of crows
from the city of Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning
Province.
With the permission of the municipal government, a local feather
products factory has made and installed 200 fake crows in trees
across the city to scare away the real birds.
Growing numbers of the birds have come to nest in the city in
recent years, drawn by the ample supplies of food and water and
clouding the sky when flying en masse.
Some residents support the anti-crow move, saying the birds
cause too much noise in the morning and at dusk, while passersby
and cars are bombarded with bird droppings, posing an accident risk
by distracting drivers and pedestrians.
The birds are traditionally regarded as evil in China and their
appearance, especially in large groups, is thought to be a
harbinger of disaster.
But opponents argue it is illegal to disturb the crows.
Zhu Chengwei, head of the city's wild animal protection agency,
said a solution should be worked out by the wild animal authorities
in accordance with wild animal protection laws.
It was unlawful for individuals and enterprises to displace wild
animals, and the effect of such move might be limited if it was
done without scientific methods and coordination, he added.
Local legislators say Nanjing Street, where most of the crows
settle, is a major avenue and a showcase of the city. "Crow
pollution" will make it dirty and damage the city's image.
Liu Mingyu, Professor of Life Sciences at Liaoning University,
refuted the argument, saying crows migrated to urban areas as they
adapted to the changing environment.
He said human activity had destroyed the birds' natural habitats
and they were forced to live in cities to survive. "Only this way
can the crows live on," said Liu, who specialized in research on
animals for 40 years.
Liu argued that humans should not interrupt what he called the
crows' evolutionary process. Crow-produced pollution was minor
compared with car exhaust emissions and industrial smog.
He said there were other solutions, such as sound insulation
boards at apartments and more cleaning work. Humans needed to learn
ecological ethics and tolerate the negative impact of animals, and
to live in harmony with them, Liu added.
(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2004)