The experiment at the Puy du Fou theme park in Les Epesses was carried out in 2018 with six “highly intelligent” birds trained to pick up litter and drop it into a container for a reward.
“Now I wish we could train people to pick up their trash,” added another, while a third said: “I love crows they are so smart!!! People are so lazy, the majority of the litter was cigarette butts”
The park’s lead founder Christophe Gaborit first trained two crows using a box with two compartments, one containing a piece of garbage and the other displaying a reward, which was food. The crows soon learned to associate the litter with the reward.
A clip shared by National Geographic shows the crows at work, scouring the ground for trash before returning to a wooden box. Most of the box was cigarette butts.
“To attack people who litter”
Hundreds of commenters were quick to take issue with the video, with one writing: “I wish they could bring the trash to the people who threw it on the ground.”
“Now I wish we could train people to pick up their trash,” added another, while a third said: “I love crows they are so smart!!! People are so lazy, the majority of the trash was cigarette butts.”
Meanwhile, one user joked: “Instead, teach crows to flock and attack people who litter.”
Nicolas de Villiers, a spokesman for the park, told reporters that “nature itself can teach us to take care of the environment.”
He added that crows “like to communicate with people and create a relationship through play.”
*With information from: Indy 100 | Main theme photo: Pou du Fuy theme park
