The Penang Island City Council has stepped up its efforts to keep bird populations manageable on the island.
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Island City Council has stepped up its efforts to keep bird populations manageable on the island.
The council culled 4,135 birds comprising 2,762 crows and 1,373 pigeons in July, while another 225 crow nests were destroyed to curb breeding and reduce the risk of further increases in the pest bird population.
The operations were carried out at locations identified as having high bird populations based on public complaints, routine monitoring and council technical assessments.
“The operations are important in reducing the risk of contamination from bird droppings, property damage, nuisance to the public, as well as the potential spread of diseases that could affect public health,” the council said in a statement on Wednesday.
It added that it remains committed to carrying out pest bird control operations responsibly in accordance with standard operating procedures and relevant laws, while balancing environmental conservation with public health interests.
It also urged the public not to feed pigeons in public areas and to report locations affected by pest bird populations through its official complaint channels.
On June 11, Lawyers for Animal Rights urged the council to suspend its planned bird-culling operations, citing concerns over animal welfare, public safety and the use of lethal methods in urban areas.
The group also called on the council to adopt non-lethal measures, including improved waste management, habitat modification and reproductive control to manage bird populations.
Last month, councillor Darren S.W. Lee told Buletin Mutiara that the council had culled 166,211 crows since its bird control programme began in 1998.
The Sun Malaysia
