🇪🇬EgyptNorth Africa
Egypt launches campaign to control invasive Indian Myna bird population
via Egypt Today3 min read
Egypt's Ministry of Environment and Local Development has initiated a comprehensive program to track and contain the invasive Indian Myna bird, also known as the Common Myna. This species, identified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as one of the world's worst invasive alien species, was first recorded in Egypt in 1998 or 1999 and has since spread across various regions, including the Sinai Peninsula, Canal cities, Greater Cairo, the Delta, parts of Upper Egypt, and coastal areas. Minister of Environment, Dr. Manal Awad, noted the bird's high reproductive rates, adaptability, diverse diet, and lack of natural predators in Egypt as key factors in its invasion. The species currently occupies about 0.8 percent of Egypt's area. Measures to curb its population include removing existing nests, sealing architectural cavities, periodic field evaluations to track flocks, covering garbage bins, and installing specialized nesting boxes designed for native Egyptian birds. The Ministry also urges residents to avoid keeping Common Mynas as pets and to report sightings to environmental departments, highlighting the threat these birds pose to native species and ecosystems.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Egypt Today.
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