Guest guest Posted April 27, 2002 Report Share Posted April 27, 2002 http://www.asahi.com/english/national/K2002042600513.html Crows no longer ruling the roost The Asahi Shimbun Tokyo metropolitan government officials have something to crow about. According to figures on the metropolitan government's campaign to eliminate the pesky creatures from the capital, officials are winning the war. Between December and the end of March, 4,210 crows-more than 10 percent of Tokyo's estimated 37,000 crows-had been captured. It was not disclosed what happened to them. Metropolitan officials dispatched to catch crows laid 100 traps at zoos and parks-both favored crow habitats-across the capital as part of the 40-million-yen project. The traps, set in December and January in Yoyogi Park, Ueno Zoological Gardens and Inokashira Park among other places, used dog food as the main bait, although mayonnaise and lard were also used after officials discovered the birds have a taste for fatty foods, too. But while metropolitan government officials are busy preening over the project's success, a handful of experts disputed the results. According to the experts, many of the captured crows were too young to breed, so removing them will have little impact on curbing the crow population. Metropolitan government officials disagreed. ``So many young birds were caught and they would soon have been able to breed. This is significant,'' a government official said. No more traps will be set for the time being, however, because as crow breeding season sets in, the birds stop moving in flocks, making the traps all but useless, officials said. The project will be resumed in the fall, with an additional 20 traps. For now, officials employed as crow catchers will turn their attentions to removing nests and chicks. Metropolitan government officials adopted a two-track approach to the crow problem, setting up traps to capture the birds and reducing the amount of street garbage, which attracts the creatures. Officials are urging ward offices in Tokyo to cut the volume of refuse and adopt new garbage disposal methods, such as collecting garbage at night and promoting the use of nets, which prevent crows from ripping open translucent bags.(IHT/Asahi: April 26,2002) (04/26) Health - your guide to health and wellness http://health. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.