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Monday, October 24, 2005
Bird flu fears halt popular hunting tradition
BAGUIO -- A northern Philippine mountain town has banned a popular bird hunting tradition due to fears migratory birds that fly in from China or Europe could be carrying the deadly bird flu virus, an official said Sunday.
Trapping migratory birds has been banned in the idyllic mountain resort town of Sagada to ensure the safety of villagers and tourists, town councilor Dave Gullan said. Hunting usually starts toward the end of the year and lasts till May.
"It's because of the bird flu threat," he said. The town, which is popular for its pine trees and ancient burial caves, lies about 280 kilometers (175 miles) north of Manila.
A campaign to inform villagers of the danger of bird flu was underway, he said.
Large numbers of villagers and tourists flock each year to Sagada's Ampacao mountain, bringing lanterns or starting small fires at night to attract migratory birds, which they trap with nets.
The birds, which come to escape the harsh winters months in China and Europe, are attracted by Sagada's mild tropical weather.
The Philippines has not been hit by the deadly H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus, which has killed dozens of people in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Cambodia. The disease has also ravaged poultry populations in large swaths of Asia, resulting in the deaths of tens of millions of birds. Recently outbreaks have been reported among wild birds in China and Europe.
The Philippines has taken a number of precautionary measures against bird flu, including strict bans on poultry imports from affected countries.
Last month, Environment Secretary Michael Defensor ordered the suspension of permits to import exotic pet birds from 10 Asian countries hit by avian flu, and ordered a tight watch on ports of entry, smuggling routes and 55 swamplands across the Philippine archipelago that draw migratory birds from China, Japan and South Korea. (AP)
(October 24, 2005 issue)
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