In the town of Beidou, Changhua County, Taiwan, a local resident, Mr. Yan Yisong, has been raising poultry for over 40 years. His farm, located next to his orchard, is home to approximately 800 geese, Muscovy ducks, and chickens. The birds have always been healthy, but in April, a sudden and inexplicable event occurred: 237 ducks and geese died mysteriously, leaving Mr. Yan both heartbroken and perplexed.
The Investigation
The scene lacked any signs of foul play, and the birds showed no symptoms of illness. Mr. Yan was left with no choice but to conduct his own investigation while seeking divine intervention by praying at a local temple for help in solving the mystery. It wasn't until six months later that the truth finally came to light.
According to reports from the Liberty Times, on April 15, Mr. Yan discovered that his ducks and geese were suddenly suffering from diarrhea and collapsing. By the next day, 109 geese and 128 Muscovy ducks had died. The chickens, fortunately, were indoors and escaped the disaster.
The Changhua County Animal Disease Control Center investigated and concluded that the birds did not show symptoms of avian influenza, such as "red toes". Mr. Yan reported the incident to the police, but they found no evidence of criminal activity.
Suspicion of Pesticide Poisoning
Mr. Yan had observed his neighbor using drones to spray pesticides in a nearby rice field around the time of the incident. He suspected that the birds might have been poisoned by the chemicals, but his neighbor refused to admit any wrongdoing. With no leads, Mr. Yan was left worried and sleepless, fearing more birds might die.
Seeking answers, Mr. Yan prayed at the Dian'an Temple, hoping for divine assistance in uncovering the truth. He also sent the bird carcasses to an agricultural testing facility for analysis.
The Truth Revealed
Recently, the test results confirmed that the birds had ingested excessive amounts of pesticides, specifically fenvalerate at a concentration of 0.04 ppm, leading to their sudden deaths. Mr. Yan confronted his neighbor, who eventually admitted fault and agreed to pay NT$270,000 in compensation.
After deducting costs, Mr. Yan donated the remaining NT$200,000 to the Dian'an Temple as a gesture of gratitude for the resolution of the case. He expressed his appreciation for the divine intervention that helped bring the matter to a close.
