2017 Video Shared as Birds Released to Spread Infection
The Claim
The video depicts infected birds released by America to spread the infection.
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Emerging story
Social media accounts across the MENA region have shared a video purporting to show infected birds released by America to spread the disease to other countries.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar has investigated the claim and found it to be misleading.
The video was uploaded to YouTube on November 1, 2017, when the Beihai Jinping fleet released pigeons.
On November 2, 2017, the Peace Alliance Party, which focuses on bird conservation, shared the video clip on its official Facebook page.
A longer version of the video was attached to an online news article in November 2017, with the caption "Jinping Fleet: Homing Pigeons."
Similar videos were also found on Youtube.
The Pigeon Racing
Pigeon racing has been popular in China for a long time. Economic advancement has enabled this sport to spread beyond the ultra-rich.
Pigeons are raised and then released hundreds of miles away, with the winner being the first pigeon to reach its home. There is also a training season for the birds in October and November, during which the winner's owner can win millions of dollars.
According to Reuters, membership in the Chinese Pigeon Association has increased from tens of thousands in the 1980s to around 400,000 today.
Translated by Khadija Boufous
