"Vancouver airport bird deaths rise"

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Airport bird deaths rise
YVR workers kill 1,196 over two years, while planes take out 199 in 2004
By Larry Pynn  
Canada - The Vancouver Sun 


VANCOUVER - The number of birds deliberately killed by workers at Vancouver
International Airport increased 155 per cent to 1,196 over the past two
years as part of an effort to reduce the risk to aircraft.

During the same period and despite staff efforts to keep birds away from the
airport's three runways, the number of birds accidentally killed in
collisions with aircraft still increased by 75 per cent to 199 last year.

The Vancouver airport's precarious position on the Fraser delta -- rated the
most important birding site in Canada -- was highlighted Dec. 10 during the
takeoff of a China Airlines Boeing 747-400 for Taiwan.

According to a federal transportation safety board report on the incident
obtained by The Vancouver Sun, the captain spotted a large waterfowl pass
under the aircraft's nose, followed by a loud bang and a yaw to the right.

He then aborted takeoff at a speed of 120 knots and came "almost to a full
stop before the end of the runway," the report said. Airport emergency crews
put out four brake fires, and the jet was towed to the terminal, where
passengers disembarked.

An inspection revealed the bird had passed through the fan blades, but did
not damage the engine core. The aircraft, which has a maximum passenger
capacity of almost 600, was allowed to proceed to Taipei, with the proviso
that the engine be replaced within 20 operating hours.

"The captain advised that this was his third bird strike in Vancouver," the
report concluded.

The airport is situated on Sea Island immediately south of the 140-hectare
Sea Island Conservation Area and adjacent to prime waterfowl habitats on the
Sturgeon Banks foreshore.

To reduce the risk to birds, the airport authority manages its grounds to
prevent creation of bird habitat, while harassing flocks to keep them away
from the runways. Birds are also shot as deemed necessary.

Control officers conducting wildlife patrols of the airfield 24 hours a day
have used a variety of measures to chase birds away, including pyrotechnics,
sirens, lights, propane cannons, and dogs.

The airport shootings are allowed under permits issued by the federal
Canadian Wildlife Service for migratory birds and the B.C. Ministry of
Water, Land, and Air Protection for other species.

Anne Murray, the airport's vice-president of community and environmental
affairs, said the number of birds shot reflects increased takeoffs and
landings at the airport, as well as natural variabilities in populations.

"As a last resort we kill birds," she said. "It's all about safety for the
public."

Larry Berry, president of the airport authority, said in a recent speech
that he expected the number of takeoffs and landings to double in 40 years
to 500,000 -- more than existing airport infrastructure can handle. Noting
another runway may be required as early as 2025, Berg noted that the
conservation area could potentially accommodate such a runway, although he
said there currently are no plans to do so.

The conservation area was created as a small tradeoff for opening of the
third runway in 1996; the two are separated by a distance of less than half
a kilometre.

Jeremy McCall, president of the Federation of B.C. Naturalists, said Tuesday
he would strongly oppose the conservation area being considered for a
runway.

"We're very concerned about that," he said. "The lesser of two evils would
be to go [build another runway] out on to the salt marsh, which is the other
option they're considering."

SPECIES TOTAL KILLED:

Duck 484

Starling 255

Dunlin 233

Crow 162

Gull 129

Swallow 74

Source:YVR


 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dcfp/dcboard.php


*****************************************