<p>Pigeons, one of the earliest domesticated animals or birds, have a complex relationship with humans. While some people find them irritating and nothing but a menace, others share their food with the birds. This dichotomy has reached a critical point in Limburg an der Lahn, a town in the Western German state of Hesse.</p>

<p>In a referendum held on 9 June, coinciding with the country's EU elections, Limburg residents have voted to exterminate the town's pigeon population of around 700 birds — by very violent, and some may say cruel methods.</p>

<h2><strong>Sky rats</strong></h2>

<p>This decision sparked controversy after the city council's initial plan in November 2023 to reduce the 'sky rats' aka pigeon numbers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On June 9, however,&nbsp;53 per cent of residents — 7,350 — voted in favour, and the plan to cull the pigeons was approved.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bidens-deer-in-headlights-moment-freezes-onstage-during-fundraising-event-obama-saves-the-day-watch-732430">Biden's 'deer in headlights' moment: Freezes onstage during fundraising event, Obama saves the day. Watch!</a></strong></p>

<p>The method chosen for the cull involves using a falconer to lure the birds into traps, stun them with a wooden stick, and then break their necks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This approach has drawn significant criticism from animal rights activists.</p>

<p>"We live in 2023, it can't be that we kill animals just because they annoy us, or they’re a nuisance. That’s not acceptable," Tanya Muller, the city pigeon project manager, had previously said about the plan.</p>

<h2><strong>Is culling an effective population control method?</strong></h2>

<p>The cull will be carried out over the next two years.</p>

<p>However, despite the town's decision, critics argue that culling pigeons is cruel and ineffective.</p>

<p>Historical evidence suggests pigeon populations can remain stable or even increase after such efforts.</p>

<p>For instance, Basel, Switzerland, saw its pigeon numbers remain steady despite killing approximately 100,000 birds annually between 1961 and 1985.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/researchers-find-proof-of-biblical-battle-between-gods-angel-and-assyrian-soldiers-in-jerusalem-732394">A Biblical battle was fought 2,700 years ago in Jerusalem, and we now have proof</a></strong></p>

<p>Alternative methods have proven more successful in controlling pigeon populations.</p>

<p>This includes Basel's approach, which involved discouraging feeding and managing pigeon lofts to remove eggs.</p>

<p>This method found by a group called Pigeon Action, as per Euro News, was found to bring a 50 per cent reduction in pigeon numbers within four years.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Pigeons, one of the earliest domesticated animals or birds, have a complex relationship with humans. While some people find them irritating and nothing but a menace, others share their food with the birds.

Pigeons, one of the earliest domesticated animals or birds, have a complex relationship with humans. While some people find them irritating and nothing but a menace, others share their food with the birds. This dichotomy has reached a critical point in Limburg an der Lahn, a town in the Western German state of Hesse. In a referendum held on 9 June, coinciding with the country's EU elections, Limburg residents have voted to exterminate the town's pigeon population of around 700 birds — by very violent, and some may say cruel methods. Sky rats This decision sparked controversy after the city council's initial plan in November 2023 to reduce the 'sky rats' aka pigeon numbers. On June 9, however, 53 per cent of residents — 7,350 — voted in favour, and the plan to cull the pigeons was approved. Also read | Biden's 'deer in headlights' moment: Freezes onstage during fundraising event, Obama saves the day. Watch! The method chosen for the cull involves using a falconer to lure the birds into traps, stun them with a wooden stick, and then break their necks. This approach has drawn significant criticism from animal rights activists. "We live in 2023, it can't be that we kill animals just because they annoy us, or they’re a nuisance. That’s not acceptable," Tanya Muller, the city pigeon project manager, had previously said about the plan. Is culling an effective population control method? The cull will be carried out over the next two years. However, despite the town's decision, critics argue that culling pigeons is cruel and ineffective. Historical evidence suggests pigeon populations can remain stable or even increase after such efforts. For instance, Basel, Switzerland, saw its pigeon numbers remain steady despite killing approximately 100,000 birds annually between 1961 and 1985. Also read | A Biblical battle was fought 2,700 years ago in Jerusalem, and we now have proof Alternative methods have proven more successful in controlling pigeon populations. This includes Basel's approach, which involved discouraging feeding and managing pigeon lofts to remove eggs. This method found by a group called Pigeon Action, as per Euro News, was found to bring a 50 per cent reduction in pigeon numbers within four years. (With inputs from agencies)

'Sky rats' no more: German town votes to kill pigeons by brutal methods

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<p>Nick Castro, an exterminator in California would have thought it was a regular day when he received a call from some house owner claiming worms were coming out of a wall. However, what happened later has become news that has gone viral across.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Castro, upon reaching the said home, in search of the worms, found a treasure of acorns, hidden by hungry woodpeckers in the chimney of the house.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Castro and his crew discovered a 317-kilogramme&nbsp;stash of acorns that were carried out in as many as eight garbage bags.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Came across this on a job. Bird was a bit of a hoarder. Filled up about 8 garbage bags full of acorns weighing in about 700 lbs. Unreal, never came across something like this," said Nick in a Facebook post.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I’ve never seen anything like that. The more acorns I pulled out from the wall, the more there were. It felt like it wasn’t going to end," he added whilst talking to the media.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Woodpeckers, especially the acorn woodpeckers are naturally known for being prodigious acorn collectors. They usually store such large quantities of acorns in small holes of a dying tree.</p>

<p>First, they drill the hole meticulously and then fill up the cavity and guard it ferociously as well. However, they are known to choose unusual spots such as the wall cavity to drop their favourite food item.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/world-of-africa-fathering-102-children-is-hectic-559788"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;World of Africa: Fathering 102 children is hectic!</strong></a></p>

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<p>Notably, the woodpeckers had earlier dropped their acorns in the wood siding of the house. But after a previous owner wrapped the house in vinyl, the woodpeckers started stacking them inside the chimney.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Castro added that since the birds could not access the acorns as they fell into the wall cavity, they kept filling the gap with more and more nuts - in this case, acting as a bit of a hoarder.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cocaine-worth-300-billion-with-batman-stickers-found-floating-in-new-zealand-559833" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: Cocaine worth $300 billion with batman stickers found floating in New Zealand</strong></a></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Nick Castro, an exterminator in California would have thought it was a regular day when he received a call from some house owner claiming worms were coming out of a wall.

Nick Castro, an exterminator in California would have thought it was a regular day when he received a call from some house owner claiming worms were coming out of a wall. However, what happened later has become news that has gone viral across. Castro, upon reaching the said home, in search of the worms, found a treasure of acorns, hidden by hungry woodpeckers in the chimney of the house. Castro and his crew discovered a 317-kilogramme stash of acorns that were carried out in as many as eight garbage bags. "Came across this on a job. Bird was a bit of a hoarder. Filled up about 8 garbage bags full of acorns weighing in about 700 lbs. Unreal, never came across something like this," said Nick in a Facebook post. “I’ve never seen anything like that. The more acorns I pulled out from the wall, the more there were. It felt like it wasn’t going to end," he added whilst talking to the media. × Woodpeckers, especially the acorn woodpeckers are naturally known for being prodigious acorn collectors. They usually store such large quantities of acorns in small holes of a dying tree. First, they drill the hole meticulously and then fill up the cavity and guard it ferociously as well. However, they are known to choose unusual spots such as the wall cavity to drop their favourite food item. WATCH | World of Africa: Fathering 102 children is hectic! × Notably, the woodpeckers had earlier dropped their acorns in the wood siding of the house. But after a previous owner wrapped the house in vinyl, the woodpeckers started stacking them inside the chimney. Castro added that since the birds could not access the acorns as they fell into the wall cavity, they kept filling the gap with more and more nuts - in this case, acting as a bit of a hoarder. Read more: Cocaine worth $300 billion with batman stickers found floating in New Zealand (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

NUTS! Woodpeckers stash 300 kg of acorns in a California home

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