Correct answer is OPTION B) Sparrow

The Four Pests Campaign was a campaign initiated by the Chinese government in 1958 as part of the Great Leap Forward, an economic and social plan aimed at rapidly transforming China into a socialist society. The campaign targeted four pests: rats, flies, mosquitoes, and sparrows. While the elimination of sparrows was intended to protect crops, it ultimately had unintended ecological consequences.

During the campaign, Chinese citizens were encouraged to eradicate sparrows by any means necessary, including shooting, trapping, and destroying their nests. The reasoning behind targeting sparrows was that they were believed to consume large quantities of grain, posing a threat to agricultural production.

However, what wasn’t fully understood at the time was the role that sparrows played in the ecosystem. While sparrows did consume grains, they also fed on insects, including locusts and other crop-eating pests. By eliminating the sparrows, the natural predator-prey balance was disrupted, leading to a surge in the population of insects, particularly locusts.

The increase in the insect population had devastating consequences for agriculture. Locusts and other pests that were previously kept in check by sparrows now multiplied rapidly, leading to widespread crop damage and food shortages. The ecological imbalance caused by the Four Pests Campaign contributed to one of the worst famines in history, known as the Great Chinese Famine, which resulted in the deaths of millions of people.

Recognizing the mistake, the Chinese government later reversed its stance on sparrows and attempted to reintroduce them. However, the damage had already been done, and the ecological repercussions of the campaign continued to be felt for years.

The Four Pests Campaign serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of understanding ecosystems and the potential consequences of disrupting the delicate balance of nature. It highlights the need for informed and scientifically-based approaches to pest control and agricultural practices.