People these days will go to extreme lengths to get likes on social media, but one disturbing TikTok trend is causing devastation to bird populations — and it's illegal.

What's happening?

One of the world's busiest bird migratory routes passes through the valley below Mount Terbol in northern Lebanon, and it is there that millions of birds are shot every year in the name of fun. 

The birds' flight path is low in this part of the migratory route, making them easy targets for poachers from nearby mountain communities. Birdlife international estimates that every year 2.6 million birds are illegally shot and killed in this area; worryingly, many of the poachers post pictures of their kills online.

Videos of poachers shooting storks using modern weaponry have also appeared on TikTok, suggesting social media is driving some of these illegal hunting activities. "They massacre birds for likes," Michel Sawan, director of the Lebanese Association for Migratory Birds, told The Guardian.

Why is stopping illegal hunting important?

Birds play an essential role in our ecosystems and are important for human health and food production. They actively control pests and also help with plant growth by pollinating and dispersing seeds, which is important for crop production as well as ensuring healthy green spaces that promote biodiversity. 

Birds, such as vultures, also stop the spread of diseases by cleaning up any animal remains, preventing rabies and tuberculosis, for example, from developing and spreading. They are so efficient at this that a single vulture is estimated to provide waste disposal services that are worth around $11,600. 

Research has also shown that observing and hearing birds enriches people's lives and makes them happier. Hunting these birds, and in such numbers, leads to population declines, which can have a negative impact on humans and the environment.

What's being done about protecting birds?

In Lebanon, the Lebanese Association for Migratory Birds is working with Lebanon's Internal Security Forces to catch and arrest poachers, but there is not a lot of funding to do this. The group is also working to raise awareness and rescue and rehabilitate injured birds. 

Elsewhere, birds are also in decline, but there are many ways people can help protect populations. Planting a native lawn is a great way to provide suitable habitats for birds, and turning off the lights at night can help prevent them from flying into windows.

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