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Title: Public Seminar - House Crow (24/4/2004) Post by Project Officer on Apr 1st, 2004, 9:51pm Public Seminar on Invasive House Crow Spreading – a Problem in Hong Kong, South Asia and Global Time & Date: 2:30 – 4:30 p.m., 24 April 2004 (Saturday) Venue: Lecture Theater LT-10, 4th Floor, The City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Hosted by: Tai Po Environmental Association / Lai Kok Estate Residents' Association Sponsored by: Sham Shui Po District Council / Tai Po Environmental Association Speakers: - Dr. TSIM Siu-tai (Conservation Specialist, Hong Kong) - Hon. Frederick FUNG Kin-kee (Chairman, Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood, Hong Kong) - Prof. Navjot S. SODHI (Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore; a leading researcher of House Crow in Asia) Topics: (1) Spreading of House Crow in the World and Behaviour of House Crow, by Dr. Tsim (in Cantonese with English PowerPoint) (2) Nuisance of House Crow in Hong Kong, in particular reference to Sham Shui Po area, by Hon. Fung (in Cantonese) (3) Ecology and Management of the Invasive House Crow in Singapore, by Prof. Sodhi (in English) ABSTRACT OF TOPIC 3 The house crow (Corvus splendens) has successfully invaded regions well beyond its native range, reaching pest proportions in many areas. Past efforts to control it have met with repeated failures due to a lack of detailed ecological understanding to guide management. The invasive population of house crows in Singapore has increased at least 30-fold since 1985, and now number more than 130,000 birds. Crows are considered a pest in Singapore due to attacks on humans, accumulation of feces under communal roosts, their potential role as vectors for human pathogens, and possible negative impacts on native bird species. To understand the biology of the house crow in Singapore, we collected data on aspects such as the population characteristics, roosting behaviour and nesting ecology. Our study shows that the house crows have adapted well in Singapore where ample resources such as food and suitable nesting and roosting sites are available. Using a discrete-time density dependent population model, we demonstrate that at least 41,000 crows will need to be culled in the first year of a control program, and an equivalent effort maintained each year thereafter within a 10 year period. This figure drops to 32,000 if culling is combined with other management strategies such as resource limitation and nest destruction. A large-scale effort to cull crows in Singapore has started since 2002, however a complete eradication of this species may be unrealistic due to difficulties in detecting crows at low densities and influx of migrants from neighbouring Malaysia. All are Welcome －－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－ REGISTRATION Please complete the form below and register either by fax to TPEA at 2690 3438 or by e-mail to taipoea@sinatown.com. $20 Admission Fee (*Free to full time students excluding post-graduated students). Seats are limited to 100, please register a.s.a.p. Enquiries please call Ms. Chan of TPEA at 2739 2481. Confirmation of registration will be sent to you by e-mail by 21 April 2004. I wish to attend the Public Seminar on Saturday, 24 April 2004. I understand I have the responsibility to pay HK$20 to Tai Po Environmental Association on-site as registration/admission fee once I have registered the programme. Name(in English): Contact no.: E-mail: Organization: Full time student*: Yes / No Corresponding address: |
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