On the afternoon of January 13th, volunteers of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) found piles of artificially placed corn kernels in the wheat field in Dezhuangzi, Cangzhou City. Volunteers judged from experience that these corn kernels are likely to be "poisoned".
A month ago, when CBCGDF staff and China Conservation Area (CCAfa) volunteers investigated together in Cangzhou, they found a lot of similar "poisoned dates" and poisoned fiberglass in the corn fields in this area. According to locals, the reason why some villagers put these poisons is mainly to prevent sheep from breaking into wheat fields to eat wheat seedlings.
"We are worried because this corn field is a relatively fixed great bustard overwintering site, and they will come at this time of winter every year." Volunteers at the China Conservation Area for Great Bustard at Cangzhou (CCAfa) of CBCGDF said that in December 2019, groups of great bustards have also been observed and photographed in this corn field, about 80 of them. "For example, if sheep eat poisoned fiberglass, they will lose weight every day and eventually die from chronic poisoning." The volunteer said that when they found similar poisoned dates, they also found roughly produced signs with the words “Toxic” or “Pesticides” in the field at the same time. However, there were no simple signs near the suspected poisoned corn kernels found this time.
“There are signs, people can see them, but the birds are illiterate, and it’s easy to get into trouble when they eat them; without the signs, the risk is even greater.” The volunteer picked up these suspected “poisonous corns” and called the police from the nearby local police station.
At more than 6 pm, the volunteer sent the suspected “poisoned corn” from the field to the police station, and local police officers also assumed that “the sheep were not allowed to eat wheat fields, and no sign was inserted to remind them, it was ruled out that they were artificially poisoned.” In addition, the local police also hoped to work with CBCGDF volunteers to explore the establishment of closer linkage or long-term mechanisms for great bustard protection, including joint publicity, combating poaching, or applying for the establishment of nature reserves to prevent similar continuous poisoning incidents, to really protect the national level protected wild animal great bustard and local ecology.
(Photo credit: CBCGDF volunteers)
Original Chinese article:
http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4855/11015.html
By / Maggie