Rising peacock population at Kannur airport raises safety concerns

The rising number of peacocks around the Kannur International Airport has become a significant safety concern, prompting the aviation authorities to seek urgent solution to the problem. While bird strikes are a known hazard at many airports, the proliferation of peacocks at the Kannur airport poses a unique challenge thanks to the ‘protected status’ of the bird under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act.

The rising number of peacocks around the Kannur International Airport has become a significant safety concern, prompting the aviation authorities to seek urgent solution to the problem.

While bird strikes are a known hazard at many airports, the proliferation of peacocks at the Kannur airport poses a unique challenge thanks to the ‘protected status’ of the bird under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has established comprehensive guidelines to manage wildlife hazards at licensed airports, ensuring the safety of air operations. According to Rule 91 of The Aircraft Rule 1937, garbage dumping and animal slaughter that could attract wildlife are prohibited within 10-km radius of the airport reference point. Additionally, airport operators must implement effective wildlife control measures to mitigate the risk of bird strikes, including identification and management of potential hazards.

Despite the above regulations, the Kannur airport, surrounded by hills and dense forest, has seen an exponential increase in peacock sightings. According to a senior airport official, although there have been no bird strikes reported since the airport commenced operations, the presence of peacocks in the vicinity poses a considerable threat. The airport authorities have limitations in directly handling the birds owing to their protected status. This necessitates coordination with the Forest department, which has been approached multiple times for assistance.

The Forest department, in collaboration with the Wildlife Trust of India, had conducted a study a year ago at the request of the airport authorities. Divisional Forest Officer Vysak Sasikumar reported that the scientific team had initially identified 15 peacocks around the airport, a number that has since increased to over 20 owing to the absence of natural predators.

The study recommended several measures for the airport authorities to implement, including cutting down tall trees like Acacia within 200 metres of the runway, removing shrubs and undergrowth, erecting 20-metre-high nets to fence the runway and collecting peacock eggs for hatching outside the region. These measures were aimed at reducing peacock population and preventing their entry into the airport premises. However, another senior Forest official, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that the airport authorities were yet to implement the recommendations.

Handling peacocks, protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, requires adherence to specific protocols. The birds can only be captured with permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden, a process that involves strict regulatory compliance.