Thousands more dead pigs found floating in Shanghai river
BEIJING (AP) — The number of dead pigs retrieved from waters in and near China's financial hub of Shanghai has reached 12,566.
Authorities in Shanghai plucked 611 dead pig carcasses Saturday from Huangpu river, which provides drinking water to the city's 23 million residents. In total, 8,965 dead pigs have been found in the river since March 8.
The swollen and rotting pigs are largely believed to be from the upstream city of Jiaxing in neighboring Zhejiang province, but Zhao Shumei, a deputy mayor, said it was inconclusive to say all the pigs were from her city.
Jiaxing — where small hog farms are prevalent — reported Friday night that it had recovered 3,601 dead pigs from its streams, according to state media.
The head veterinarian for China's Agriculture Ministry, Yu Kangzhen, who has traveled to the region to investigate the deaths, told state media Saturday that there has been no major swine epidemic, but said some samples tested positive for the common porcine circovirus and the epidemic diarrhea virus.
Yu also said cold weather and fluctuating temperatures have caused a spike in deaths among baby pigs.
Villagers have told state media that pig dumping is on the rise following police campaigns against the illicit trade of pork products harvested from diseased pigs that were illegally sold, instead of properly disposed of.
In Shanghai, authorities have repeatedly assured residents that tap water is safe, but locals remain worried about water contamination.
In 2012, about 130,000 Jiaxing hog farmers raised more than 7 million pigs, according to state media.
Authorities in Shanghai plucked 611 dead pig carcasses Saturday from Huangpu river, which provides drinking water to the city's 23 million residents. In total, 8,965 dead pigs have been found in the river since March 8.
The swollen and rotting pigs are largely believed to be from the upstream city of Jiaxing in neighboring Zhejiang province, but Zhao Shumei, a deputy mayor, said it was inconclusive to say all the pigs were from her city.
Jiaxing — where small hog farms are prevalent — reported Friday night that it had recovered 3,601 dead pigs from its streams, according to state media.
The head veterinarian for China's Agriculture Ministry, Yu Kangzhen, who has traveled to the region to investigate the deaths, told state media Saturday that there has been no major swine epidemic, but said some samples tested positive for the common porcine circovirus and the epidemic diarrhea virus.
Yu also said cold weather and fluctuating temperatures have caused a spike in deaths among baby pigs.
Villagers have told state media that pig dumping is on the rise following police campaigns against the illicit trade of pork products harvested from diseased pigs that were illegally sold, instead of properly disposed of.
In Shanghai, authorities have repeatedly assured residents that tap water is safe, but locals remain worried about water contamination.
In 2012, about 130,000 Jiaxing hog farmers raised more than 7 million pigs, according to state media.
Coming soon to America: Chinese pork Foo Yung. Same high quality as all the other Chinese products. Watch your local WalMart.Â
In all fairness the river Thames was a cesspool and still is. Seine, same thing. The Europeans then came to N America and proceeded to pollute the rivers here that the indians kept clean. Common sense says let's not pollute the drinking water!Â
The drinking water is safe?
Coming soon to America...tenderized bacon!
I'm only somewhat joking.
That would be Aged Bacon..
I was in Shanghai last year and have been elsewhere there too.  I hate to say this because I think the Chinese are good people who don't know anything but oppression/communism, but China is a a pig-sty environmentally, forgive the pun.  I mean, just really gross; the pollution (of all kinds) is just unbelievable.  The sewers are so messed up that you're not allowed to flush anything down the toilet in a public restroom.  I don't eat meat, and I totally respect that most of the world does, but throwing thousands of panicked pigs in  a river to drown is inhumane. Â
@Doxie China doesn't care about anything other than China. Not the environment, the animals, the people, nothing. Self centered people.Â
china has no regard for the Enviroment , these pigs were thrown in the river by the thousands because they were sick. Open sewers are the norm in this country , and in the cities , air polution and smog are so bad healthy people are wheezing and keeling over. and you know why, money . people do business with the chinese to save money.  Money, is the root of all evil toooooday. and every fool knows a dog needs a home, a shelter, from pigs on the wing.Â
MMM. Still Good! We'll probably be eating this pork soon, coming to a grocery store near you!
That is gross. Looking at that water who in their right mind would think of drinking it. That river is filled with garbage without the pigs. It is even gross the way they treat the dead pigs. Gaffing them like the catch of the day. Disgusting
How else would you drag them into the boats?
I'm sure they have below average care for the animals to say the least. No surprise to me, and I wouldn't be drinking out of that river even without the dead pigs. That country is harder on the environment than most everyone else in the world.
Truly - a most ignorant act.Â
What? Pollution? That doesn't matter! The river is big. How can just a few thousand pigs screw up the water supply? Bah! Screw those environmentalists! Science and biology are  too high fallutin' for us common folk!
What a waste of bacon!
That would smell so bad!
Out of all the corporate internet theft they have done, not a single bit of info will help them with this.
.99 cent pork fried rice
Hmmm... did scientists ever find out why hundreds of birds fell from the sky? Now thousands of pigs are washing up dead.Â
@Tattooed_Angel2 Thought they made the determination that was likely due to fireworks....  %s
@Tattooed_Angel2Â can anyone say swine flu?Â
I think i would lay off the sweet n sour pork for a while
That's just  NASTY !
At press time, Roger Waters could not be reached for comment.