Jackal hunt in airfield

Calcutta: The forest department will relocate the jackals inhabiting the airfield at Calcutta airport.
The team expected to start work next week will trap the jackals with baits and cage them.
“I have directed the wildlife wing to take immediate action. It is a question of the safety of people and planes,” principal chief conservator of forests A.K. Raha said today.
Airport officials said there were 15 to 20 jackals around the airport. Many takeoffs and landings were delayed in the past few months because of them.
Precious air turbine fuel is burnt as planes hover over Calcutta, waiting for an all-clear. An Airbus 320 will burn fuel worth around Rs 1.2 lakh if it has to hover for 30 minutes.
Earlier this month, the pilot of an Air India flight from Guwahati spotted three jackals on the runway and the next plane from Silchar had to fly over Calcutta for half an hour before landing. In May, what looked to a pilot about to takeoff like four dogs also turned out to be a pack of jackals.
13/07/08 The Telegraph

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Categories: Airports Jul 2008, Safety Jul 2008