Friday, January 15, 2021

Joe the Pigeon


A pigeon that was to be put down by authorities in Australia after reportedly crossing the Pacific Ocean has been saved after officials found he was "highly likely" to be a local bird.

Joe the pigeon made headlines around the world after he was found in a garden in Melbourne wearing what appeared to be a US identification.

The bird was to be killed for breaching Australia's quarantine rules.

But he was granted a reprieve amid doubts about the origin of his leg tag.

"Following an investigation, the department has concluded that Joe the Pigeon is highly likely to be Australian and does not present a biosecurity risk," Australia's Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment announced on Friday.

"The department is satisfied that the bird's leg band is a fraudulent copy of a legitimate leg band," the statement said, adding that no further action would be taken against the bird.

Read more here:

 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-55667045

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