BOGOTA (AP) – on a sunny Sunday afternoon, a group of government workers walked down Bogota’s most famous square dresses of doves, with peaks of cardboard covering them with the nose, while thousands of birds flew over their heads and leaving their droppings on the stately monuments. You might be interested: Guatemala: dan jail to world corruption a dove perches on the head of María Rodríguez, which carries about 50 years selling corn to tourists to feed the pigeons in the Bolívar square in Bogotá, Colombia, on October 2 of 2 018 (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) read also: waving his wings of plastics and performing short skits, asked curious pedestrians that they do not graze the enormous flocks that descend every day to the Plaza Bolivar, a large square flanked colonial by a Cathedral Catholic and by the elegant building of the National Congress.” There are too many pigeons,”said Mauricio Cano, a biologist who headed the group. “Give them food is given to them and is bad for the people.” While London has tried to scare away pigeons with hawks threatening train stations and Paris has been used contraceptive methods to limit the size of the flocks, the Bogota Government is trying to combat overpopulation with campaigns educational that urge people not to feed them.
A study by local biologists found that the population of pigeons in the square doubles on weekends up to 3,400 copies, coinciding with the increase in the number of tourists that visit the iconic place. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Officials believe that if people stop giving food to the birds, they will not concentrate on public squares where their faeces stain public buildings and put at risk the health of the population. If the birds, which are not natural in Colombia, not concentrate in large quantities, likely that its ratio of reproduction also fall.” It is not disappearing pigeons”, said Clara Sandoval, Director of the Department of animal protection in the Colombian capital. “But we want them to return to their natural behaviour”.
A woman feeds a dove in the Plaza Bolivar of Bogota, Colombia, from October 2, 2018. Feed the pigeons with corn and take a picture with them in the Plaza Bolivar is a kind of local tradition for decades. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
A study by local biologists found that the population of pigeons in the square doubles on weekends up to 3,400 copies, coinciding with the increase in the number of tourists that visit the iconic place.” In some areas (of the square) are found up to 33 doves per square meter”, added Cano.Pero convince people to not give them to eat has been complicated.
Feed the pigeons with corn and take a picture with them in the Plaza Bolivar is a kind of local tradition for decades.
“This is also the way of life for about a dozen of street vendors selling small bags of food for birds for about a dollar.” This has been the sustenance of my four children”, said Lilly hatch, which sells in the plaza for 25 years. “This was a great family tradition, why come now to say that the pigeons are sick?” The Bogota Government is offering vendors as hatch booths in public buildings so that they can sell snacks officials instead of food for pigeons to tourists. In addition, they propose training for their children, so that they have other job options beyond follow the business of their parents. But some vendors say that they have been included in the relocation program. And others are not convinced that sell snacks to humans is as profitable as its current business.” I just I would go here if the Government gives me a pension”, said Luz Melia Rodríguez, of 65 years and who said to carry out this work from 50 ago. ‘At my age is very difficult to change working’ officials say that ultimately prohibit the presence of vendors in the square if they don’t leave voluntarily.
“We want to invite people to give pigeons their dignity,” said biologist Cano. “They should turn to green spaces where to feed by themselves.”
In this note: Bogota Colombia pigeons to not feed
