Indian Myna

Fantásticas series ::

Humans have introduced themselves worldwide, decimating populations of species as we go too. We are invasive species, but there are no mass killings of ourselves in order to save other species. Unfortunate as it is, each species goal is to thrive itself, regardless of its destruction.

Btw, nice photo!

Shot on sight with a camera!

It is indeed a dilemma on what to do with such an invasive species. In my opinion, the best thing to do is first determine whether the species is in danger of extinction from its normal range. If not, you decide on the best way to reduce their population and do not post whatever your chosen action. In this way you will avoid any reaction from members of Project NOAH. I myself is against brutally killing these birds. There are just things to be done to correct the mistakes we have done.

Well said Suresh!!!

it was indeed shot on sight

Wonderful series:)

Malcolm makes a good point indeed. The same applies to the house crow (Corvus splendens)...

Very valid point Malcolm, it seems humans and the Indian Myna have some sort of commensalistic relationship.

That is a very good explanation Malcolm! I think I will agree with you.

It has to be remembered that many of these "introduced" species were actually self-introduced over a period of time due to population expansion or natural expansion of range, sometimes with variable amounts of assistance from humans, in the form of being carried by early migrant settlers to newly discovered lands as pets and allowed to escape. It is natures own way of trying to address an imbalance. These self-introductions have been taking place for thousands of years and merely got accelerated in some cases by human intervention. In the case of the Common Myna, they had been spreading overland slowly for thousands of years and would have reached Africa anyway, although maybe not in our lifetime. You only have to look at the speed with which the Collared Dove has spread across Europe over the last few decades to see how this can happen.
We humans have helped to cause the problem you have, not by the introduction of the "new" species but by the amount of rubbish which we leave lying around and which these birds thrive on. Just look around your towns and cities where these birds are thriving and see how much rubbish there is there, then go out into the open country, of which you still have plenty, but where there is little or no rubbish except near human settlements, and you will find there are few, if any, of these birds there. Clean up the filthy villages, towns and cities and nature will bring these birds under control!

I am being neutral here so I am not taking sides.
The Indian Mynas are being exterminated as a resort for balancing the ecosystem but Despina has a point too, humans are the most destructive species of all, we are endangering the Earth itself so does that mean that we should be exterminated as well?

Despina, I understand this is a difficult debate, and I am sorry you are upset. You are not an outcast. At the same time no one here is being hypocritical. Please also note that no one here is talking about exterminating the Indian myna in its original area of distribution.

You know, I used to work as a volunteer in a wildlife center in my home country...For 8 years I saw and treated all kind of animal illnesses, wounds, infections, virusses...That taught me to respect all animal species equally, and try for their best...If I'll find a myna tomorrow, I'll help it, no matter what, and I'll do the same with as many species I can. If that's making me an outcast to your eyes, well, that's what I am, and I'm very proud of myself...That's my last comment here, I gave you my point of view, it's hypocritical to pretend that we care for some species while we arrange the extermination of others...At the end it will turn against us like a boomerang, I'm sorry you can't see it coming...

I think your emotions are clouding your judgement here a little Despina, and I don't blame you. But please understand that it is necessary to take these birds out of the sensitive systems so that other species will not be outcompeted and lost to their natural environment. The person's responsible are not exterminating everything in their sites, they are only targeting specific species for the sake of many species.

It is an aggressive scavenger that chase the indigenous species from food sources.

Beautiful spotting. Looks like an angry bird!

Not removing, EXTERMINATING is the correct word, and we are talking about thousands of birds wich are gong to be KILLED to the last...That's massive slaughter, but hey, it's just mynas, there are so many out there...And yet tomorrow, the're be some other species facing extermination, and the day after, antother...And at the end, there will be nothing left...Because in the meanwhile, we forget that we humans we are also responsible for the decline of the endemic species, because it was us who pressed these animals too, through loss of habitat, pesticides, hunting, whatever...
But of course now, we are talking about the mynas's problem, right?

Thank you Daniele! However these sensitive issues are addressed, humans, albeit flawed, is the custodians that have the responsibility to find and implement solutions to ensure sustainability and conservation, not just for nature, but Homo Sapiens as well!

Removing an introduced species is not equivalent to genocide (that is, the total destruction of the species - genocide by the way is a term that by definition applies to humans only). In the cases of aggressive invasive birds species there are trapping and euthanasia methods which are approved of by animal protection organizations. That is the case for the control of Indian mynas in Australia, or the control of the house crow populations in other countries. Even that can be impractical. As Kei said, the solutions are a sensitive issue, but solutions must be found, and they must be effective.

That is the risk of a bio-control method, and obviously no consideration for the food web. Removal weather it being the extermination or the relocation of the Indian Myna is however the issue here. I agree with both of you here, extermination is cruel and not fair as it is the fault of humans, but the cost implications of translocations are just not feasible. This is sadly the choices we must make, and conservation becomes an ongoing contentious issue.

Nice spotting Johan... These cute birds are currently do great job scavenger in Human colonies... after Crows...

Of course the relocation is totally impractical (and expensive), and the genoside is baptised ethical (because of it's cheapness) ...
And yes, we desagree.

The money to be used for relocation, which is totally impractical, can be put to much better use for proper conservation of indigenous species like rhino's. Let us just agree to disagree.

I still don't agree, and let me give you one small example: In Spain, in the '80's, the local authorities introduced the myxoma virus to the rabbit population, due to a dramatic increase in the number of the animals. That led to an almost total extinction of the Spanish lynx...Now the NZ authorities want to introduce that virus in NZ...Could you imagine what will happen in to other species, like the NZ buzzard, wich showed a huge increase in population, partially due to the rabbit's presence? Do you think the rabbit problem will be solved just like that, with no impact to the endemic species?
My logic says that these animals should be removed rather than to be exterminated, either you agree or not...Of course it will be easier (an cheaper) to kill them, instead of relocate them, but thats the only solution I would agree with. Not the genoside!