10,000 birds fall from sky
From correspondents in China
February 6, 2004
MORE than 10,000 birds died mysteriously in eastern China's Jiangsu province, dropping like rain from the sky, state media reported yesterday.
Farmers and other witnesses in Sangongdian village in Taizhou city saw flocks of bramble finch suddenly fall from the sky on Tuesday, the Beijing Youth Daily said.
Most of the birds were dead when they hit the ground and some were injured, it said. The birds look like sparrows and are small in size.
Officials from the local centre for disease prevention and control rushed to the scene. Samples from the birds were taken to a lab in nearby Nanjing city for testing to determine the cause of death.
Experts from the Jiangsu province agriculture department said that because the birds died while in flight, the cause of death may have been contamination in their food, water or environment.
They did not immediately say whether there was any connection with the spreading bird flu outbreak in Asia.
At least 12 of China's 31 provinces have confirmed or suspected outbreaks of the avian influenza, which has devastated flocks across Asia and killed 11 people in Vietnam and five in Thailand.
China, the world's second-largest producer and fifth-largest exporter of chicken meat, has culled millions of birds in an attempt to halt the march of the disease.
http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,8599154%255E13762,00.html
Strange: 10,000 birds fall from sky.
The whole thread (8 posts)
- Strange: 10,000 birds fall from sky.
- Prices of birds nest soup fall precipitously (n/t)
- re: Strange: 10,000 birds fall from sky.
- I doubt if it happened at the same time. I suspect that a much larger flock (or several) were infected and flew over. A small number, perhaps 1%, died and fell to the ground. (n/t)
- Are your suggesting human involvement? Testing black projects or similar shady work? Please update us with what you know. (n/t)
- A bad omen for those who wish to prevent spread of bird flu. These birds, unlike domestic birds, fly all over the place and carry the germs with them. (n/t)
- A bad omen for those who wish to prevent spread of bird flu. These birds, unlike domestic birds, fly all over the place and carry the germs with them. (n/t)