Kenyans to earn Sh10,000 for each bird killed
By Amina WakoEnterprising Kenyans have a mega opportunity to make money for just killing one species of invasive birds. Planet Protector, an Non-Govermental Organisation in the coast region has announced a plan to pay people Sh10,000 for every Indian house crow they kill.
The organization claims that the birds, which were introduced to Kenya from South Asia, are causing environmental damage and attacking humans.
According to the NGO’s spokesperson, Mr Patesh Patel the Indian crows are aggressive birds that pose a threat to the local ecosystem.
“These birds are like the mafia of the skies. They’re taking over our trees, stealing our food, and terrorizing our neighborhoods,” he said. “We need to take action before it’s too late.”
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When Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho allocated Sh30 million in his budget to eradicate the Indian house crow in 2019-2020, residents and the business community criticised the plan, saying it was a waste of money.
But years later, the invasive birds, locally known as kunguru or kurabu, have come back to haunt residents.
The population of Indian house crows is rapidly increasing along the coast of Kenya, leading residents to once again band together, as they did 20 years ago, to restore the natural balance by controlling the birds’ reproduction.
These crows are attracted to areas where waste is produced and not properly disposed of, which has made the unsustainable development of Mombasa and other coastal towns the ideal environment for them to thrive.
The Indian house crow is a menace for several reasons. They are notorious for transmitting diseases, preying on other native bird species and their eggs, and causing a disturbance with their cawing, especially during the early hours of the morning. They are also a nuisance in hotels and restaurants, where they scavenge for food.
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Mwaura Mwangi, a manager of a restaurant located in a beach resort in Mombasa, expressed his concerns about the presence of numerous crows in the area
“We have a lot of crows around, and our restaurant being an open restaurant, crows are a menace to the customers. They jump into the restaurant, they climb on the food, then they do actually pass droppings on chairs, and this is actually a big problem for us. We have lost customers,” said Mwangi.
Despite not being native to East Africa, the Indian house crow has adapted to the Swahili coastline and has become an invasive species that feeds on waste, dead animals, and fish remains, making them practically omnivorous.
To address the growing problem, a national plan has been developed to eradicate the crows in Kenya, which includes reintroducing a product called Starlicide that limits the birds’ births by killing their eggs.
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