Posted on 03/31/2020 4:18:05 PM PDT by Olog-hai
At a former open pit copper mine filled with billions of gallons of toxic water, sirens and loud pops from propane cannons echo off the granite walls to scare away birds so they don’t land.
After several thousand migrating snow geese perished in the Berkeley Pit’s acidic, metal-laden waters in 2016, its owners deployed a sophisticated arsenal to frighten away flocks, including lasers, drones, fireworks and remote-controlled boats.
Montana Resources already had been hazing incoming birds with spotlights and rifle shots into the water — and a spokesman says those existing deterrents likely helped the company avoid a penalty or prosecution under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
But the Trump administration wants to end the 50-year practice of using the criminal penalties under the migratory bird law to pressure companies into taking measures like these to prevent unintentional bird deaths. […]
Former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe told The Associated Press the law’s threat of prosecution served as “a brake on industry” that had saved probably billions of birds. […]
The Trump administration dismissed Ashe’s dire prediction, contending companies will continue to avoid bird deaths voluntarily. …
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
Here in S.e. Michigan the Canada geese are a major problem. They're fearless and can be seen casually strolling across roads, holding up traffic. They're not the migratory geese but rather the year around geese that inhabit every pond in the area. You can't shoot them because they're in highly populated suburbia.......
Wow, 25 a day is a lot. They must really be a problem...
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Indeed. Check the numbers for Feb. 24.
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