Muscat – Environment Authority (EA) has eliminated over 112,697 birds in Dhofar as part of its ongoing efforts to combat invasive avian species.

“A team participating in the National Campaign on Combating Invasive Birds has removed more than 112,000 invasive birds so far. The national campaign was launched in Dhofar on December 13 last year,” said an official from EA.

The EA official explained that the invasive birds impact the ecosystem and cause biological imbalance by disrupting the natural food chain. They also transmit diseases, like bird flu, and destroy agricultural crops.

These invasive bird species are concentrated in coastal areas of North Batinah, South Batinah, Muscat and Dhofar.

Giving details, the official informed that 64,873 mynas and 47,873 house crows were eliminated in the entire mission so far.

EA also reported the sighting of 57 species of invasive birds that were not reported earlier.

In April 2022, EA formed a team to conduct a study on checking the spread of invasive species and developing a national strategy to control them. The authority has onboarded an international ornithologist and prepared an integrated plan to confront these birds.

The mynas are of the starling family native to southern Asia, especially India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. They affect the food chain in the areas of their existence.