The dead cormorants maimed in Vitsebsk region have been sent to experts. The veterinaries are to define which tool the cormorants’ beaks were cut off with.
Ornitilogists found the debeaked cormorants at the water reservoir not far from fishery co-op “Novalukomski”, which is located in Chashniki district (Vitsebsk region). The horrible thing is expected to have taken place on June 16, 2012. Local fishermen have fallen under suspicion: as cormorants eat much fish fishery co-ops pay money (reportedly to $6 per bird) for their extermination. To prove the number of killed birds one must provide “evidence”, e.g. feet.
It is the first time that birds have been exterminated with such diabolic cruelty: cormorant youngs were to starve.
At the moment police is investigating the story; then case materials will be handed over to the Investigation Committee. Criminals are in wanted list, fishermen, hunters and locals are being questioned, Mikhail Dziadzichkin, Chief of Chashniki Directorate of Interior told news agency Interfax.
“This outrageous incident has occurred when European countries are conducting the Pan-European campaign on counting great cormorants. Belarus also monitors the bird,” Iryna Samusenka, a research worker of the National Academy of Sciences, said. In accordance with her words, as cormorants and gray heron were relegated to “nuisance species” their shooting-off is state-sanctioned. They are believed to do harm to fishery co-ops, the expert noted.
Belsat
