Tanzania Authorities Cull Over Five Million Invasive Quelea Birds to Protect Rice Farms

In a concerted effort to safeguard rice farms in Tanzania’s Manyara region, officials have successfully culled more than five million invasive quelea birds, as reported by local media sources.

The quelea birds had infested over 1,000 acres of rice farms in the northern region, resulting in substantial agricultural losses. These avian intruders posed a significant threat, capable of consuming over 50 tonnes of food crops daily, as emphasized by Gadman Mbuko, a representative from the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority.

Over a span of four days, authorities deployed drones equipped with avicides to disperse and eliminate the swarms of quelea birds, as detailed in the Tanzania Times.

Quelea birds, known for their destructive tendencies towards grains such as rice and wheat, have long plagued agricultural communities in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2021, the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) estimated annual crop losses of approximately $50 million (£41 million) attributed to these avian pests, underscoring the pressing need for proactive measures to mitigate their impact on food security.