DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's Zanzibar authorities launched a fresh campaign on Friday to eliminate house crows, an invasive species that has caused significant damage to crops, small livestock, and the local economy.

The British colonial administration in the 1880s introduced the birds to help clean up street litter and animal carcasses, with the population now surpassing 1.2 million, according to officials.

Zanzibar's Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, Natural Resources, and Livestock Shamata Shaame Khamis reaffirmed the government's commitment to working with stakeholders to eliminate the birds from both Unguja and Pemba islands.

Khamis said a previous project in 2012 had failed, allowing the crows to continue wreaking havoc on biodiversity, public health, tourism, and the economy.

"A 2012 survey estimated the crow population at 1.2 million, and their unchecked growth poses a serious threat to agriculture and small livestock," the minister noted.

She said the new campaign was being carried out in cooperation with stakeholders to deploy specialized traps while also targeting nests, eggs, and chicks to curb the birds' numbers. Enditem

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