In Sweden, they are always concerned about protecting the environment. For this reason, plus the permanent care of their economy, in Södertälje, a city in the province of Stockholm, they train crows to pick up cigarette butts from the ground.
Sweden is a “green” country. It ranks third on the list of the most environmentally conscious countries. Finland and Iceland rank first and second respectively. Sweden is third, ahead of Denmark.
They are looking for a solution to protect the environment and favor the country’s economy
Solving an environmental and economic problem is what drives this decision. Studies confirm that there are 96 cigarette butts per citizen on the streets of Swedish cities. That’s one billion cigarette butts annually, which to collect them produces an expense of 20 million Swedish kronor or 1.92 million euros.
The proposal to use trained crows to pick up cigarette butts comes from a private company in charge of cleaning up cities. The original idea was copied from a falconry practice in which the eagle, in flight, picks up objects from the ground.
Crows are specially trained to pick up cigarette butts from the ground
The crow picks up a cigarette butt, places it in a specially prepared container and in return receives food. That is the methodology of the training the birds receive. A pilot test was started, which could be extended to the rest of the Swedish cities.
After the completion of the pilot test, they will not only measure the effectiveness of the experience, but also take into account the health of the birds. The positive outcome depends on how many cigarette butts the birds can pick up and how long it takes them to do so.
Crows are very intelligent
It is well known to the scientific community that crows are a very intelligent species. Their level of intelligence is comparable to that of the chimpanzee. Particularly to perform this experiment, they will use the species New Caledonia or Corvus Moneduloides. These crows have been studied many times and stand out for their intelligence.
They are capable of making tools to help them get food. There is even evidence that they leave nuts on the road to be broken by a passing car so that they can eat the fruit. Because of their level of intelligence, they are easier to train and can also learn by copying each other.
There is a precedent, of a similar test that took place some years ago in an amusement park in France. We will see in a short time how this experience turns out and if it is implemented on a massive scale.
