Ten foxes having received training in catching mole rats were released into the mountainous area in Guyuan City, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, in hopes that they would better protect the woodland there.

The rodents are called "blind rats" by local farmers since they burrow in the ground to eat the roots of plants, causing great harm to grasslands, woodland and crops.

Statistics from the Guyuan Forestry Bureau show that around 1,700,000 mu (113,333 hectares) of grassland and woodland in Guyuan have been damaged by the rats.

Although a campaign launched in April to catch and kill the rodents, at a cost of 700,000 yuan (US$84,337), killed 300,000 rats, it is far from being eliminated.

Under the guidance of agricultural experts, the city decided to train the foxes to catch and kill the mole rats.

Ten Siberian foxes were the first batch trained for the purpose. During the training, they were taught to catch and eat the rats. After months of training, these foxes now have become excellent hunters.

Sources with the Guyuan Forestry Bureau said now that the 10 Siberian foxes were released, more foxes will be raised and trained for the purpose.

The sources said the results of the fox-hunting method are under observation.

(Xinhua News Agency October 23, 2003)