It’s commonly thought animals and aviation don’t go together, given the instances of bird strikes, livestock and deer wandering on to runways, and even wild bees swarming aircraft and causing dangers and disruptions to flights.
However, Avia Solutions Group, based in Cyprus, says several airports have taken steps toward accepting wildlife and have come up with creative ways to achieve synergy between nature and machine.
“We’ve seen not only specially trained dogs and cats appear in airports across the world, but also a wider array of both domesticated and wild animals,” says Vygaudas Ušackas, an Avia board member and chairman of its safety committee.
One example has been the employment of hawks or falcons in several of Poland’s airports to keep the take-off and landing airspace clear of smaller birds.
“As birds of prey, they circle around the airport’s territory and naturally repel any smaller birds that could fall into its talons," he explains. “The smaller birds, then, avoid flying anywhere near where the falcon’s hunting grounds are. This way, falcons ensure the safety of the runways at airports.”
Avia Solution Group's Vygaudas Ušackas
Bees monitor air quality
Bees have caused disruptions at airports in Europe and North America. For example, Pittsburgh International Airport had a swarm of thousands of bees grounding an aircraft for hours, interrupting refuelling and baggage loading.
But Ušackas says they are also capable of assistance in monitoring air quality. By housing them within an airport’s territory, scientists are able to measure the level of toxins, heavy metals, and hydrocarbons in the collected honey, and track emissions and overall carbon footprint.
Goats and grass
Unkempt landscape is another threat to airport safety, as it brings insects that, in turn, attract small birds. However, use of heavy machinery and herbicides to keep the grass down is frowned on in some places as environmentally unfriendly.
Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in the US is one that has ditched both in favour of farm animals.
“Instead, it employs goats and sheep to mow the grass in a sustainable way,” Ušackas says. “They also help to mow areas that are hard to reach by machines or the vegetation is especially thick – it’s a perfect alternative for harmful chemicals.”
At airports where goats and sheep can fall prey to coyotes and dangerous snakes, llamas or donkeys act as bodyguards.
