WS Airport Wildlife Hazards Program Protecting People Protecting Agriculture Protecting Wildlife

USDA - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Provides Federal leadership and expertise to resolve wildlife conflicts to allow people and wildlife to coexist Protecting People Protecting Agriculture Protecting Wildlife

Role of Wildlife Services in mitigating wildlife strikes at airports Protecting People Protecting Agriculture Protecting Wildlife ADC is responsible for assisting the Federal Aviation Administration, other Federal agencies requiring assistance and State and local airport authorities in resolving hazards to aircraft and passengers created by the presence of large mammals and migratory birds and the control of small mammals disrupting airport safety systems. f. … When the FWS is developing comprehensive management plans for DOD, DOE or NASA installations with major airport facilities, it will consult with ADC to assure that bird hazard problems are given proper consideration in the management plans and conflicts avoided. The FWS will include ADC in any management plan agreement that impacts ADC responsibilities transfer MOU between USDOI and USDA

USDA WS Airports FY15 full time service

850 total airports 70% of all Part 139 airports 106 military airbases 343 General Aviation airports 4,404 airport personnel trained 277 staff-years of service $29 million in cooperative funding 2014 Presidential Migratory Bird Federal Stewardship Award FY 2015 activities

Most wildlife strikes are at the airport or its immediate vicinity. The most logical place to begin correcting the problem is on and near the airport! Cost of wildlife strikes: ~ $ 208 M (2014 estimate) ~ 37 strikes per day > $1.3 B / year worldwide Science based management of airport wildlife hazards Protecting People Protecting Agriculture Protecting Wildlife

Habitat use and foraging strategies of hazardous wildlife Developing methods and tools to reduce wildlife food, water, and cover attractants  Research in basic wildlife biology and ecology to develop and enhance nonlethal control methods Research to prevent wildlife-aircraft collisions

Wildlife Hazards partnership –MOU signed September 2013 Focus on reporting and awareness –6% of database reports are from GA airports –GA strike reporting needs to increase Resources and reporting – –Wildlife strike awareness posters –Strike, Snarge, and Safety - Your Guide to Wildlife Strike Reporting USDA APHIS YouTube site You can’t manage it if you haven’t measured it ! Please report all wildlife strikes. Protecting People Protecting Agriculture Protecting Wildlife

Integrated Wildlife Damage Management Protecting People Protecting Agriculture Protecting Wildlife Food Water Cover Habitat

Long-term relationship between DOD and USDA Foundation for cooperation is the Sikes Act Instruction – “DoD Pest Mgmt Program” MOU between DOD and USDA (ADC) -USN current national agreement in place -USAF MAJCOM’s and AFCENT work increasing -ANG long-standing agreement to manage BASH -US Army and WS analysis of helicopter strike data -Army ANG national agreement in development FY16 Protecting People Protecting Agriculture Protecting Wildlife

-Volunteer staffing -4 month TDY -Assessments -Operations/ research

- Project to assist airports in Central & South America - Wildlife hazard assessments and management plans - Tocumen International Airport, Panama (2013) - Guayaquil International Airport, Ecuador (2013) - WINCAP airport projects in Brazil and Columbia - Regional Airport Wildlife Hazards workshops Embassy Science Fellow (USDA and FAA) - Pacific Islands, Micronesia, WS and FAA interest? International collaboration to increase host country capacity

- Bird Strike Committee USA - WS maintains key role in function of BSC - National Transportation Safety Board - accident investigation assistance - Commercial Aviation Safety Team - quarterly analysis of wildlife strike events - Helicopter Association International - wildlife strike reporting awareness and mitigation

USDA APHIS Wildlife Services Mississippi Program

Full Time Airport Work Columbus Air Force Base Naval Air Station Meridian

Other Services USFWS Depredation Permit Assistance Training/Education Site Visits Technical Guidance Direct Control Other Services

Staff Columbus Air Force Base – Lann Wilf NAS Meridian – Clint Lott International Glutton for Punishment – Scott Alls

Getting in the Business Aerial Gunning For Feral Swine

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