Wildlife is great. Jet air travel is great. But get them together, and you have the potential for tragedy. Just think of U.S. Airways Flight 1549, which was forced to make an emergency landing in the Hudson River after the airplane's engines ingested Canada geese. Another flight had to return to the runway in Alaska after a bald eagle took out one of its engines. The solution to this problem for people isn't always pretty for the birds and can raise the ire of animal rights activists. Surely nobody wants to see flocks of birds exterminated - so what is the answer? What’s the right balance between protecting the flying public and wildlife?
Guest:
Michael Begier, national coordinator of the Department of Agriculture’s Airport Wildlife Hazards Program