Hundreds of wild sparrows, a protected species in the country,
were found dying one after another and falling off trees near a
wholesale grain market in Handan, Hebei Province, late last week.
"Living on the trees for years, the birds have been getting
alone well with us. It's really a pity for us to see so many lovely
birds die one after the other in about an hour that day," one
witness said, hoping authorities could look into the case.
"Such a massive death of sparrows was possibly caused by
intended food poisoning," experts from a local zoo said, urging
locals not to pick up the bird carcasses as food for their
pets.
(Yanzhao Evening News January 11, 2008)
