Zach McCue of Clean Ocean Action, a coalition of more than 130 environmental organizations in New Jersey and New York, said the manufacture of thin-film plastic bags consumes millions of trees and barrels of oil, takes up space in landfills for a long time and is harmful to marine life, especially birds and sea turtles that ingest the bags, or pieces of bags, or get entangled in them.

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Smog has also been a major issue, he added, especially for birds.

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The village was especially proud of the birds because they had taken first prize in last year's international cormorant competition in Japan.

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Pet-Tayto Corner features rabbits, ducks, geese, pheasants, 10 different types of rare birds and lots of especially colourful and unusual hens.

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It is especially hard to enforce a cull when birds are not obviously ill.

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H5N1 typically spreads between birds, but can jump to humans, especially if they're living in close proximity.

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As wild migratory birds will sometimes visit farms and as domestic flocks of ducks or chickens often live alongside pigs, especially in developing countries, this is quite feasible.

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