Five months after London bound AI-171 crashed after takeoff on June 12, killing all 241 persons on board, Ahmedabad airport has launched a massive wildlife control operation to lower the danger of bird and animal collisions surrounding the airfield.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport has started moving a number of bird and mammal species that are present on the property to locations at least 50-100 kilometers outside the city in collaboration with the forest department.
A significant transfer effort involving 1,000 giant fruit bats is presently in progress, according to officials. The bats are being trapped and released in Polo Forest, a protected area around 150 kilometers away, from Kotarpur, which is near the airport along the Sabarmati riverside.
According to a source, "giant fruit bats became a particular concern." Blood spots were frequently seen on the runway or close to planes during night time inspections, but there would be no feathers, suggesting bat strikes.
The decision to relocate specific species was made at a series of joint review meetings in response to these findings and suggestions from the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the source continued.
The red wattled lapwing, yellow wattled lapwing, black kite, Eurasian thick knee, and black headed ibis are among the other species being moved.
As part of continuous wildlife hazard management, species that are frequently found near SVPIA, like the rock pigeon, cattle egret, house crow, Indian roller, and common mynah, are still being observed, according to an official.
