The Nature and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rejected the Tivat airport's request to allow them to shoot seagulls, a protected species. In the EPA's response, which "Vijesti" had access to, it is stated that the company Aerodrom Tivat, before submitting the request, did not exhaust other measures to repel birds.
The Airport of Montenegro, the company within which the Tivat airport also operates, did not respond to the editorial questions.
On January 23, the Tivat Airport, as a measure to prevent the collision of planes and birds, submitted a request to the Agency for the removal of wildlife - a species of yellow-legged gull, stating that these birds are a nuisance. In the EPA's response, in which they reject the request, it is stated, among other things, that monitoring of the airport over the last two decades has shown that the Tivat airport should take a more serious approach to the problem "before asking for a shooting permit."
The Tivat Airport is located in the Tivat Bay, next to the sea and the coastal marsh, a special nature reserve and the Ramsar area Tivat Salt Lake. The salt marshes are part of the Adriatic migratory corridor, which is crossed by millions of birds from Siberia, northern, eastern and central Europe during the autumn and spring migration. That area, the EPA reminds, is rich in ornithofauna - of the 352 species registered in Montenegro so far, almost a third (120 species) are registered on Solili. In summer, when the area is dry, the EPA explains, the birds mostly concentrate in front of Solil, in the sea. They remind that birds have been counted for years at the Tivat airport, as part of the international project IWC - winter bird count, and that dozens of seagulls use the runway as a resting place.
"Because of the darker color, the runway is warmer in that part than the surrounding habitats. "Birds concentrate there also due to the fact that they are safer there than predators because the surrounding area is clean and the approaches are easier to see," the Agency explains.
They also add that the Tivat airport, as well as the Lovanja landfill, which is located near the airport, have contacted the Agency several times regarding the problem of birds and explain that "it is much easier for birds to feed on an open landfill than to hunt for food". Therefore, as one of the measures to solve the problem with birds, they recommend fixing the situation at the landfill.
"The seagulls have a 'buffet table' at the landfill, and other species can feed on rodents and other species that also visit the landfill for food reasons. At the Lovanja landfill, birds were chased away by emitting the sound of raptors, and this had an effect for the first twenty minutes. After that, the bird sees that there is no danger, they are more careful, but they continue to land on the landfill... By fixing the situation at the landfill, burying waste daily, making the environment around the landfill cleaner and implementing measures to repel birds, the problem would be solved," the EPA recommendations state. .
50 pairs nest in Montenegro
In response to the Tivat airport management's request to authorize the shooting of seagulls, the EPA reminds that the Mediterranean seagull, a species that is cited as problematic, is protected in Montenegro.
"There are only a few pairs nesting on Lake Skadar and the Ulcinj salt pan, and until recently on the island of Mamula. The total breeding population does not exceed 50 pairs," says the EPA's response, which "Vijesti" had access to. It is also added that the individuals in question come from the Croatian coast of the Adriatic, where more than 55 thousand pairs nest.
"As the populations of the mentioned seagulls are not exclusively Montenegrin, but at the very least have the citizenship of neighboring Croatia, they order that, before requesting culling measures, all other available methods should be used, including the use of pyrotechnics, falconry and gas cannons," the EPA wrote in its response.
They also explain that the nature of seagulls is such that if these birds judge that there is food in a certain location, they call other birds to the feeding ground with cries, so any possible cull would be unproductive.
"It would only have an immediate effect, both due to the influx of new vagrants from Croatia, and the daily delivery of new quantities of easily available food in Lovanja," the Agency's response reads.
With the conclusion that Tivat Airport has not exhausted all measures to repel birds, they suggested to that company to "employ and train a team for wildlife control".
"And use all bird dispersal measures, including pyrotechnics, gas cannons, falcons and raptor noises, before requesting a permit to kill a protected species," the EPA wrote in its response.
Peregrine falcons protect the Belgrade airport, they protect the airport in Sarajevo by mowing the grass, removing the nest...
Professional falconer Hani Girgis protects the "Nikola Tesla" airport in Belgrade from birds.
"Our task is to disperse the birds that are most often found on the roofs of buildings and hangars, thereby protecting not only the planes of 'JAT technology' but all those that use our airport," he told media in Serbia earlier.
Sarajevo airport is protected from birds and other animals by different methods.
"Removal of habitats (burrows and nests) on or near the airport... Grass is mowed and maintained at an appropriate height, minimum 15 cm, throughout the mowing season and whenever feasible mowed at night... Dispersing, scaring birds and wild animals using various means... Let's say dispersal using various techniques of intimidation and warning, as well as trapping and the use of firearms," Sarajevo Airport told faktor.ba in August last year.
Some of these methods, they explain, are effective "when used as part of the overall system of protection of air operations of Sarajevo Airport against birds and wild animals". They also add that "they can be very ineffective if used in the wrong way". They indicate that some non-lethal methods are not effective in the long term, that the danger of the presence of certain species "must be reduced by their physical removal, limited use of firearms or traps".
"Non-lethal methods are used to disperse large birds such as seagulls," said Sarajevo Airport.
Bonus video:
