Bird Poop:The Quirky way of Minting Money

In a world where people are scrambling to make money by hook or by crook, a country which came up with a genius plan to do this years ago was Peru.

A tiny western country in South America, Peru began filling its coffers by selling Guano. Guano is the poop (read: excreta) from seabirds, bats, and seals. An excellent source of potash and nitrogen, its popularity as a natural fertilizer spread like wildfire.

Via Source: Garden Jardinitis

Its discovery in 1802 on Chincha islands off Peruvian coast brought agriculturalists around the globe at the doorstep of Peru. Guano also saw its use in manufacturing explosive devices. It was a product so close to the hearts of the early inhabitants (Incas) of the region, that anyone seen killing the birds was awarded a death penalty.

Via Source: National Audubon Society

The Guano mania

Apart from Peru, many Caribbean nations also produced Guano around that time. However, the quality that came from Peru was unparalleled. In the late 1800s, most of the country’s GDP came from the sale of Guano, touted as “a gold mine” by many.

This mania snowballed mainly because it was an era of agriculture. With the boost of agricultural production owing to Guano, America increased its import, despite booming prices.

Seeking opportunity in monopolizing the product, Peru raised the prices. Irked by this, USA Congress passed the Guano Islands Act, 1856 to annex any Guano deposits discovered by them.

The state of affairs today

Even today, hundreds of laborers engage tirelessly to collect these pungent droppings into sacks, without any protective gear.

Via Source: TotallyCoolPix

The country refrains from capital-intensive techniques to pick the droppings, lest they disturb the birds. Illegal trade and bird-hunting have taken a toll on the bird population of Peru, where birds are dwindling in large numbers. Apart from anthropological factors, the bird population is also affected by climate change.

Via Source: Games 2018

Although many natural fertilizers dominate the world market today, the Guano remains expensive due to its extraction cost, owing to its labor-intensive techniques.

Sustainability of Guano is one of the main cause of concerns in the present era, where ecological conservation is put on the back burner for material gains. With over-exploitation, the world could lose these birds soon.

Let us hope that the world will act before it’s too late to revive the magnificent creature.

Read Also: Strange! American cities named ‘Madras’, ‘Delhi’, and ‘Bombay’.

Subscribe to our channels on YouTube & Telegram

Random Post

Sugar Daddy Dating Sites You Don’t Want to Miss

One unique way to have a beneficial relationship is to date a sugar daddy. The modern age has made it possible to find love...

Lucid Dreams- an Incredible Fantasy Inside your Head

What if you could live in a world where everything was possible? Not only that, suppose you could control your surroundings and make whatever...

Know More About the Drink of Summer: Lemon Juice

Wondering, what is the heavenly juice of summer? It is right there in your kitchen. Yes, lemon. Lemon is the heavenly juice of summers'....

Latest article

Caravanning In Cold Weather

Australian holiday goers love caravanning. Traditionally this has been a summertime activity, but there are some good reasons why caravanners might choose to head...

7 High-Paying Careers You Can Unlock with an MBA Degree

An MBA, or Master of Business Administration, is more than a piece of paper. It's a key that can open many doors in the...

The Unknown Benefits of Online Education: It’s More Than Just Convenience

Online education is frequently discussed in terms of its most obvious benefits: flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and convenience. However, there's a multitude of lesser-known advantages that...

Related Articles

1 COMMENT

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.