Hired hunters to gun for animal pests

Animal rights activists and local residents have opposed local government proposals to hire hunters to cull wild animals that damage crops or could endanger local residents' lives.

According to a press release yesterday, wild boars and badgers in the area have damaged farmers' crops, and the government has had to compensate them to the tune of over 5.58 million yuan ($883,000) since 2009.

"There haven't been any wild animal attacks over the past few years, but the government is obligated to think ahead to protect residents' lives and property," said Wang Minzhong, director of the wildlife protection section of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Landscape and Forestry. He denied that the announcement had anything to do with last weekend's tiger escape from the Badaling Wild Animal Park, saying that the measures have been in the works since 2009.

According to Wang, a proposal entitled "Emergency plans for wildlife attacks" has been drafted by the bureau and looks to take effect this year. It will deal with emergencies such as escaped zoo animals or wild animal attacks in Beijing's mountainous counties like Miyun and Yanqing.

"We're considering hiring local professional hunters because they know about gun safety, and they know better how to deal with emergency situations involving wildlife," said Wang.

Wang also said that statistics show some wild animal species have increased and it will be necessary to control the populations to ensure the ecological balance of the area.

However, Zhang You, an assistant to the Party Chief of Dajiaoyu village, Miyun county, feels that the hunters with loaded guns would be "the real danger."

"We're only aware of some damage to several farmers' crops by wild rabbits, and that's really not enough for the government to give permission for hunters to shoot in the area, which could endanger our lives," said Zhang.

"What if the endangered animals in the forest come down to the villages after being disturbed by the sound of gunfire?" said Zhang.

Qin Xiaona, director of the NGO Capital Animal Welfare Association, believes the wild animals living in environments damaged by urban expansion should be the ones under protection.

"I'm very upset the government is sending a message that guns are the solution to solve conflicts between animals and human beings, which is very harmful for ecological environmental protection," said Qin.

"The police in Shandong [Province] paraded in town after killing a wolf, and the recent hunt of a local yellow dog took up police forces citywide," said Qin, "there should be a more peaceful and less scary way to deal with animals."

In March, a wolf was killed by police suspected to be responsible for attacks on seven residents in Shandong. On May 12, police in several Beijing districts searched to capture a small dog that allegedly bit over 20 residents.