Increasing number of crows irk park visitors:Lahore

[LahoreEstate]

* Visitors, picnickers complain of crows descending on parks in droves * Ornithologists suggest reducing waste heaps could help control crow population
* PU professor urges CDGL to take action

By Ali Usman

LAHORE: Ornithologists and environmentalists are of the view that the crow population has increased in the city due to increased pollution and open garbage heaps, Daily Times learnt on Sunday.

The increase in the number of these birds in parks poses a threat to picnickers. Mustafa Ahmed, a nine-year-old, became a laughing stock in his family when he complained that a crow had flown away with his food in Racecourse Park. The park, one of the busiest in the city, has a large population of crows.

Complaints: People that visited the park on a daily basis complained that crows flew right above their heads, which would bring their jog to a halt. A number of crows have also been observed under old trees and near hills at the Lawrence Garden. Ornithologists say that crows are far less fearful of humans than any other bird. According to them, crows have a role in the ecosystem but there increased prominence is unwanted.

Talking to Daily Times, Ornithologist Dr Abdul Aleem Chaudhry said the number of crows had increased with the increase in pollution and solid waste. He said the increase had also disturbed the population of other bird species. He said crows ate the eggs of other birds, which has resulted in the simultaneous decrease in other bird populations.

Solution: Talking on how to control the crow population, he said reducing heaps of solid waste around the city could solve the problem. Shahid Iqbal, another ornithologist, said areas with fewer garbage heaps had fewer crows. He said crows were found in small numbers in Defence Housing Authority, Gulberg and Model Town as compared to the canal and areas near River Ravi. CDGL should take action: Dr Muhammad Nawaz Chaudhary, an environmentalist and professor at the College of Earth and Environmental Sciences Punjab University (PU), said sanitary situations should be improved to reduce the number of crows. He said the City District Government Lahore (CDGL) and Environment Protection Agency (EPA) should devise policies for the proper disposal of solid waste.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg13_6