TAIPEI AND TAICHUNG BAN FEEDING BIRDS IN PARKS|防禽流感"禽傳人" 台北.台中禁餵禽鳥

As the avian flu outbreak continues, local governments are paying close attention. The Department of Environmental Protection of the Taipei City government has conducted inspections on 14 sites frequently visited by birds, such as the Liberty Square and the Youth Park. A fine of NT$1,200 will be imposed for feeding birds. The Taichung City government also issued a ban on feeding pigeons, and those who violate the ban will be fined up to NT$2,000 to NT$10,000, hoping to control the spread of the virus. Several children were at Taichung Park for their field trip. They saw pigeons walking around and they wanted to play with birds. However, the teacher stopped her students from doing so. ==TEACHER== We only can say what to them? (Hi) Can we touch them? (No) Can we feed them? (No) This grandpa and his grandson kept their distance from the pigeons because bird flu is spreading out. Taichung Park is a red alert area for bird flu. A whole flock of pigeons is on the ground, grass and tree tops. Why are there so many pigeons? Well, some people keep feeding those birds. ==RESIDENT (Non-feeder)== When they sprinkled a feed, pigeons over there flew to here. Even for those pigeons resting at the rooftop, they all flew here for a feed. ==STALL OWNER== Yes, I did. Sometimes I say not to feed birds, police do not allow feeding. The quantity of pigeons is getting more and more, excrement is everywhere in the park. Many people worry about the bird excrement becomes a source of bird flu. Therefore, Taichung City Government issued a ban on bird feeding at seven parks. ==HUANG YU-LIN Director of Taichung Construction Bureau== We have been advising feeders for days. We tried to communicate with those feeders. We communicate in ways of soft tones. Taichung City Government stated that they will neither trap nor kill pigeons. However, the large flock of birds may transmit bird flu. If a person is found feeding birds, the fine amount will be NT$2,000 to NT$10,000. TRANSLATED BY：ANTHONY LIN 禽流感疫情延燒，各縣市政府也不敢大意。台北市環保局，就針對自由廣場、青年公園等14處，禽鳥，最常出現的地點，來稽查餵食，如果勸導不聽，會開罰1200元。另外，台中市府，也對餵鴿子提出禁令，除了宣導、不要靠近或接觸之外，如果餵食的話，會祭出2000到一萬元重罰，希望能有效防止疫情擴散。 小朋友到台中公園校外教學，看到成群的鴿子趴趴走，興奮的想跟鴿子玩，這時老師趕緊帶到一旁。 ==老師== 只要跟牠說什麼(嗨) 要不要摸摸牠(不行) 可不可以拿東西餵牠吃(不行) 而帶著孫子的老阿伯，更是不敢踏進草地，和鴿群保持距離，原來是禽流感疫情拉警報，而台中公園更是一級警戒區，看看草地或樹上，滿滿的聚集大批鴿群，就連湖心亭上也是被鴿子占據，飛行也是成群結隊，怎麼會有這麼多鴿子，原來是長久有人餵食。 ==周邊民眾(非餵食者)== 東西一灑下去 那邊的全部都飛過來 如果在這房屋上看到(有人餵食) 還是 全部飛過來 ==攤商== 有呀 有時候我說不要餵 警察不准餵 鴿子數量還越來越多，排泄物到處都是，讓不少人擔心成為疫情漏洞。台中市府對餵鴿子提出禁令，針對七處野鴿聚集的公園稽查。 == 台中市建設局長 黃玉霖== 已經勸導了幾天 有跟 那些餵食者溝通 我們都是柔性勸導 市府說不會捕捉或撲殺，不過鴿群數量太多，確實可能有傳染的危險，如果餵食就會開罰2000到一萬。