To the dismay of many observers who wondered how such a strange plan would unfold, officials in China say that, contrary to reports online, they are not sending a 100,000-strong army of locust-eating ducks to Pakistan to thwart the ravenous insects that have devastated the country. The fantastically weird concept first came to light on Thursday morning when an agricultural expert told a Chinese media outlet that officials were considering the elaborate idea.
"Ducks like to stay in a group, so they're easier to manage than chickens," Lu Lizhi reportedly mused, while also noting that the birds can eat a whopping 200 locusts per day. The agricultural expert went on to argue the waterfowl would constitute a veritable 'biological weapon' and a safer alternative to pesticides. As one can imagine, the prospect of China sending 100,000 ducks to Pakistan captured the imagination of people online and the story quickly went viral on social media in the country before being picked up by English-speaking outlets trumpeting the odd proposal.
Alas, it would seem that the 'duck army' may be nothing more than a pipe dream as a different agricultural expert swiftly stepped forward to squash the idea. Find out more on this strange story at the Coast to Coast AM website.