Monday, July 30, 2007 Online views: Avian massacre
(Opinion culled from the feedback of readers of Sun.Star website at www.sunstar.com.ph)
BELOW are views of readers of the Sun.Star website at www.sunstar.com.ph on the burning of smuggled birds from Indonesia due to suspicion they (birds) are carriers of bird flu.
“I was horrified to hear reports about the inhumane and brutal burning of many smuggled birds (mostly parrots) in the Philippines. These endangered and beautiful birds are being burned to death because of fear that they may be carriers of the `bird flu.’ This fear is causing organizations such as the National Bureau of Investigation to act irrationally by ordering that all smuggled birds be killed to prevent the spread of avian influenza. Fear has caused these people to act uncivilized towards these birds who are wonderful creatures of the environment. This is unacceptable due to the facts that Stewart Metz has discovered through other articles showing that parrots rarely contract Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza” — Alexandra Hernandez (aahernandez@csupomona.edu)
“This is a response to the inhuman bird exterminations that has been occurring due to the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) scare. To my understanding, any species that has contracted this disease is to be exterminated. However, these methods of extermination are questionable. For example, According to www.indonesia-parrot-project.org, ‘In the Philippines 339 smuggled parrots were killed following confiscation merely out of an imagined fear that they might carry HPAI.’ Thus, the only assumption to make due the number of birds killed is that these animals were not tested beforehand. Thus, taking such actions due to fear will place these vulnerable animals in the brink of extinction. The act of killing any living animal solely due to the assumption that the animal is carrying a disease is completely barbaric. Therefore, I propose that imported and smuggled parrots be quarantined and tested for diseases before they are sold in the local market. If any have contracted a detrimental disease like HPAI, then they should be humanely euthanized” — Kimberly Goodman (klgoodman@ csupomona.edu)
“As a student of California Polytechnic University at Pomona, I am truly appalled at the current strategies around the world to stop the avian influenza. Surely people can find better ways of dealing with the disease than exterminating, and basically burning to death hundreds of birds that may possibly be carriers of the bird flu. The National Bureau of Investigation has killed ruthlessly perhaps as many as 267 birds that had been smuggled into the Davao City region from Indonesia, without even assuring themselves that these birds are carrying the dreaded bird flu. There are many more similar cases that result in ultimately destroying the years of efforts to protect these birds from extinction. Something must be done, especially since little is known about which birds can carry the disease and how the disease is transferred. The information that is out there is also being ignored simply out of carelessness to test the animals. Something clearly has to be done to protect these birds from a brutal death while maintaining a country’s goal of being bird flu-free” — Judy Vega (jvega@csupomona.edu)
“The slaughtering of the smuggled birds, in my opinion, was uncalled for as there was no tangible evidence indicating the H5N1 strand among these birds. In recent years, habitat destruction and deforestation have driven many wildlife species, particularly birds, toward extinction. As a result, it is imperative that we protect these wild animals and their natural habitats in whichever way possible. Personally, I was appalled and puzzled by your decision to kill these wild birds without confirming the presence of the virus. After all, these birds were the victims of illegal animal trading and should have been released back into the wild” — Quy Pham (phuquy2001@yahoo.com)
“As a biology student, I am knowledgably aware of the seriousness of the H5N-1 strain of HPAI, but I’m also well aware that these exotic birds are a part of our ecosystem and that many of our bird populations are leading towards extinction. The situation was mishandled in an unscientifically and irrational manner. Proper quarantine and testing of the alleged infected birds could have prevented the extermination of healthy birds. Birds found to be infected with HPAI could have been exterminated humanely by euthanasia. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the wildlife bureau and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to handle these situations regarding our protected wildlife. Turing over the fate of these birds to the Department of Agriculture was unethical. It is illogical to believe that by destroying populations of birds, you can cure the fight on bird flu. By doing so, we create a bigger threat by promoting the extinction of these valuable creatures, that make up our ecosystem” — Arlene (aocampo@csupomona.edu)
