Kraków starts with a birth control for pigeons

Kraków is launching the first pilot contraceptive program for urban pigeons in Poland. Instead of traditional methods of mowing or fishing, the city has set itself on a humanitarian and modern solution: special feeders in which birds will receive corn grains containing a safe contraceptive every day.

The program will be launched in the coming weeks at selected points of the city, where the largest clusters of pigeons occur. In these locations, dosing feeders will appear to provide the birds with a controlled portion of food. As a result, pigeons will receive exactly the dose of the active substance that reduces their fertility while improving their overall health.

"It will be a long but safe process," emphasized Sabina Janko, a spokesman for animals in the Kraków Master’s degree. – We choose places with the largest flocks to achieve the best effect among the strongest individuals.

The project was created in cooperation with the Salamandra Wildlife Foundation, scientific institutions and vets. The formulation used is a substance commonly used in poultry farming for the control of coccidiosis – at the appropriate concentration it acts as a contraceptive, is completely safe for humans, other animals and the environment. Pigeons do not lose their ability to live in a flock, do not suffer side effects, and the population decreases gradually and naturally.

Similar solutions have been working successfully in European metropolises for years, including Barcelona and Brussels. Kraków will be the first major Polish city to test it. If pilotage is successful, the program can be extended to further districts.

Residents are already commenting on the novelty with a mix of surprise and approval. "Somebody finally thought of pigeons as city residents, not just a problem," writes one of the Krakovians on the local forum. Others joke about pigeons getting better contraception than many people.

With this solution, Kraków has the chance to reduce the nuisance associated with a large number of birds – from pollution of the facades to the risk of disease – while respecting animal welfare. It's not a fight against pigeons, it's a smart balance in urban space. And who knows, maybe in a few years Krakow pigeons will be the healthiest and least numerous herd in Poland.

Source: Kraków.pl