Jayakrishnan Vu
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Sept 19: Along with their ongoing preparations to catch birds in the city airport to avert bird hits, Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) authorities have also embarked on an operation to catch the small wild animals and reptiles inhabiting the 800-acre airport premises.
Catching of birds would start by next week after all the grass on areas close to the runway is cleared off, said BPIA officials. So far more than half of the grass standing on both sides of the runway up to 25 metres has been cleared, they said.
Hundreds of wild animals and reptiles, including snakes of various kinds, jackals, civets, jungle cats, mongooses, Indian pangolins and large lizards, have been found living in the airport, mostly amid the tall grass.
Officials said these animals could pose danger to flight operations and the safety of parked aircraft and personnel. A cobra was spotted in the middle of the runway Wednesday afternoon when an Air India plane was about to take off.
“About 15 traps of 6 ft by 4 ft have already been laid near the operational area of the airport to capture both birds and wild animals. Care is being taken to ensure the animals and birds are not hurt when they are being caught,” said Subhendu Mallick, the advisory member of the Airport Environment Conflict Management Committee.
Sophisticated sliding traps with their tops kept open have been strategically positioned in the open, grassy patches of the airport. The open tops would instantly close once the animals or birds enter the traps lured by the chicken pieces placed there as baits to attract them.
“The jackals, being scavengers, would be rehabilitated to other habitats, but the jungle cats would be shifted within the airport area as they are natural predators and can help control the rising bird population in the airport area,” he added.
About two jungle cats, six jackals and one civet were captured from inside the airport by animal catchers deployed by BPIA authorities, added Mallick.
A monitoring committee of the airport officials which has wild-life experts and forest officials as members, has been holding regular meetings to look into the progress of preparations before the bird catching operation starts, officials said.
