Illegal bird catchers in Biyang: a pair of cranes sells for tens of thousands

Since the start of winter this year, resident birds such as turtledoves and sparrows in Zhumadian City have been tragically caught in large nets set up by lawbreakers. "The fate of the birds is so tragic, and the behavior of these lawbreakers is truly detestable!" Yesterday afternoon, the Forest Public Security Sub-bureau of the Zhumadian City Forestry Bureau stated: starting from the 27th, a citywide crackdown on netting birds will be launched to ensure that resident birds spend the winter safely in Zhumadian.

Bird lover: sobbing loudly, "The birds in the mountains are almost all caught"

"It has recovered, and I want to release it." Early yesterday morning, a mountain villager from Biyang County, Zhumadian City, called the reporter, saying that in their area, on the hillsides and in the forests, and beside the bamboo groves at the village entrance, many large bird-catching nets had been "set," and "the birds in the mountains are almost all caught by these large nets." As he spoke, the young man sobbed loudly on the phone.

This young man did not dare reveal his real identity, saying that once exposed, "the bird catchers would surely do me in." The reporter went to his home yesterday morning and saw that the recovered "it" he had mentioned was an owl less than a year old. "One morning more than half a month ago, as I passed by the bamboo grove at the village entrance, I saw a large net 'set' there, and on the net, this owl was struggling, its leg cut so badly by the binding that the bone was exposed. After I took it down (from the net), I bought anti-inflammatory medicine and applied it to the wound." The young man said: over the past half month or so, he had killed two of the family's chickens to feed it. When he released it yesterday morning, it flew out several dozen meters and landed in the wheat field, turned back to look many times, then gave a few mournful cries and flew away. [How do you feel when you hear about wild animals being captured and killed? Come share it on Tencent Weibo]

Illegal bird catchers in Biyang

Bird catchers: overjoyed, a pair of cranes sells for tens of thousands at the dinner table

At about 10 a.m. yesterday, the reporter saw a large bamboo grove in front of Jiaozhuyuan Village, Tongshan Township, Biyang County. On the east side of the bamboo grove, a large bird-catching net more than 3 m high and nearly 20 m long had been set up. "This large net has caught at least nearly a thousand turtledoves here." The villagers said angrily: the person who set the net was driving a car with a Zhengzhou license plate and had been setting nets here for seven or eight days already.

"Three days ago, the net caught a pair of migrating cranes, and the person who came at dawn to collect the birds was overjoyed, saying that this pair of cranes would sell for at least tens of thousands on dinner tables in big cities."

"It is because city people eat in such an outrageous and cruel way that it drives outrageous and cruel people to come to our area and set large nets." Several villagers said angrily: "If this continues, there will be nothing left flying in the sky."

Yesterday evening, the person in charge of the Forest Public Security Sub-bureau of the Zhumadian City Forestry Bureau stated: starting from the 27th, a special campaign to crack down strictly on netting birds will be carried out to create a safe wintering environment for the birds.