The Tanzanian Plant Protection and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA) has announced the culling of five million Quelea Quelea, small red-billed birds, to protect rice fields in the Manyara region in the northern part of the country. These birds had posed a significant threat to over 400 hectares of commercial crops.
Joseph Ndunguru, Director General of the TPHPA, stated that they had successfully eliminated these destructive birds and were now monitoring other areas for potential threats.
“We are fully prepared to combat such incursions with cutting-edge technology, including drones, environmentally friendly chemicals, and an effective workforce,” Juma Mwinyimkuu, the acting manager at TPHPA northern zone, said.
Quelea Quelea, commonly known as Red-billed Weavers, often travel in large flocks and have been known to cause extensive damage to crops in Africa, typically during the onset of the dry season in September and October.
To combat the threat, the TPHPA employed aerial spraying, including the use of drones, over a four-day period to eradicate the birds before they could wreak havoc on the rice fields in northern Tanzania.
The TPHPA estimates that these birds are capable of destroying more than 50 tonnes of food crops in a single day. It’s worth noting that a similar culling of 1.8 million Quelea Quelea occurred in Uganda in 2013 to protect rice fields, which generated criticism from environmentalists at the time.