This bird called the 'flying mouse' is a threat to mankind, population is increasing uncontrollably
Why the growing population of pigeons is a problem: There is hardly a person who does not like beautiful birds. Seeing birds coming to the yard and having fun, a nature lover forgets all his problems for a couple of hours. Birds have also been very popular in literature and music. But if someone says that these seemingly insignificant creatures can be a threat to mankind, do you believe it? It is difficult to believe, but it is a fact. In recent years, if not all, then there is one bird whose population explosion has created an atmosphere of concern all over the world. Let's find out what is the matter.
This bird has become the enemy of mankind
Not fierce birds of prey like falcons, vultures, or eagles, but pigeons seen in the yard are becoming a threat to mankind. The pigeon population has increased to such an extent that it has caused more than one problem and has been given the derogatory nickname of ‘flying rats’.
Pigeons’ Footprint in Human Life
In the middle of the 20th century, urbanization expanded. In contrast to the scattered houses in villages, houses were built adjacent to each other in cities. As more people lived in smaller areas, dirt and filth were created, due to which rats entered human life. When sewers were built for waste disposal, rats found a way out, because the effort of digging the land and building a cesspool was avoided, the sewers became their habitat. Over time, exposure to rats brought diseases like plague to mankind.
Pigeons also suffered something like rats. Since they were not as sensitive as sparrows, pigeons mixed with humans. In cities, people got into the habit of killing pigeons, due to which their population flourished and today such a situation has arisen that killing pigeons has to be banned.
Pigeons harm humanity in this way
1) Create serious health risks
Pigeons play a role in the transmission of more than one type of disease, such as,
- Pigeon droppings contain a fungus called Histoplasma, which mixes with the air and enters the body through human breathing. This causes a lung disease called ‘Histoplasmosis’.
- In exactly the same way, pigeon droppings also contain a fungus called Cryptococcus, which also causes an infection in the lungs called ‘Cryptococcosis’.
- In both the above conditions, the lung infection can worsen and cause a condition called 'hyper-sensitivity pneumonitis', in which the lungs can be severely damaged.
- In addition, pigeon droppings also contain bacteria called 'Chlamydia psittaci', which can cause problems like fever, cough, and headache. Apart from droppings, pigeon feathers also spread the above disease.
2) Damages property
Pigeon droppings contain acid, which tarnishes the beauty of houses and monuments, and also rusts the paintwork of vehicles. Pigeons mostly live in groups, so the amount of their droppings also increases at any given place, which in the long run increases the maintenance cost of houses, monuments, and vehicles. Just think how much the cost in a metropolis increases every year due to bird droppings alone!
3) Damages agricultural produce
In rural areas, flocks of pigeons roost in fields and destroy the ready-made crops. This group of creatures, which looks like a rank, also poses a threat to agriculture.
4) Nuisance
Pigeons often roam in large flocks. Many find their ‘ghoo-ghoo-ghoo’ annoying. Their presence in public places also creates discomfort. Their habit of building nests everywhere also causes dirt and the hassle of frequent cleaning arises.
Feeding pigeons banned
Pigeons are not afraid of humans, so they are always present at tourist spots. People feed them free, which prevents the pigeons from wandering around in search of food. Pigeons that are stuck in one place keep on multiplying and becoming more and more nuisances. As a result, it has now happened that many places in the world have banned feeding pigeons.
These places have been banned
The easiest way to control the population of pigeons is to ban the free food they get. In Italy's world-famous canal city of Venice, there is a strict ban on feeding pigeons to protect historical monuments from pigeons. In Singapore, feeding pigeons is also considered illegal to maintain cleanliness, and violators are fined. There are also such bans in public places in metropolitan cities like San Francisco in America, Zurich in Switzerland, and London in England. Such bans have been imposed in Mumbai and Pune in India.
Pigeons are a menace in Indian metropolitan cities
Talking about Mumbai alone, there has been a 150 percent increase in the population of pigeons in the last 23 years. Due to pigeons, there has been a five-fold increase in the cases of 'hyper-sensitivity pneumonitis' in Mumbai. Due to a lack of awareness about the diseases spread by pigeons, people keep on killing pigeons, due to which their population is continuously increasing. There is a similar situation in Pune too. Therefore, a ban has been imposed on killing pigeons in these two cities; those who violate the rule will be fined.
Thus, the nickname 'flying rats' was given
There are many similarities between pigeons and rats. Both are fast-growing, adaptable, and able to survive in a variety of environments, surviving in noisy, polluted urban environments, and even scavenging for garbage. Like rats, pigeons are known as “flying rats,” which is why they are known as “flying rats.”
Who first called pigeons rats?
In the early 1960s, New York City Commissioner Thomas Hoving used the term “rats with wings” to describe the pigeons’ nuisance. Then, in 1966, a New York Times article used the term “flying rats” to describe feral pigeons. The term ‘flying rats’ became more popular after world-famous film director Woody Allen used it in his 1980 film ‘Stardust Memories’.
Pigeons, who have the ability to recognize places and human faces, have served humanity as messengers for centuries. Pigeons have also played a key role during tragedies like World War I. The same creature, once considered a friend of mankind, is now considered a nuisance to humans, should we call it a sacrifice of nature or the selfishness of mankind?
Tags: pigeon-droppings, Pigeon-menace, pigeon-exposure, Manage-pigeon-population
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