b'66 EYWENVIRONMENTALreducing the bird population by a whopping 400% compared tosee iguanas all the time. But because of the trapping program, I the previous year. The airport documented just 509 bird sightingshave not seen an iguana in the last three years, she reports. in 2017. Staff also look for marsh rabbits, mice and rats, which serve Irma effectively removed half of the islands vegetation andas food for raptors as well as medium-sized mammals such as wildlife habitat, making it an unattractive stopping point for mostraccoons and opossums. migratory birds. We saw a significant reduction in birds and wildlife at the airport after Hurricane Irma because it decimatedStep-by-Step Approach all of the trees and the shrubs, Andersen explains. If theresThe success of EYWs wildlife hazard management program no place for them to hide, theyre not going to go to the airport,is measured through careful monitoring and data collection to which speaks to why we need to have a very comprehensiveidentify patterns and changes over time. For instance, staff have vegetation management plan.documented a significant reduction in the number of birds at the Hartle says its unfortunate that vegetation around the airfieldairport. When the program began in 2015, they would observe as took the hit that it did, but it definitely helped deter wildlife.many as 50 to 100 birds a day. Now, they see 20 at most.Analysis of EYWs historical wildlife data shows that there were, Danger on the Ground on average, 1,277 fewer birds observed in 2022 compared to the Not all of EYWs wildlife hazards are feathered. Cold-blooded iguanasseven-year annual average of 3,235. and turtles like to sit on taxiways and runways to soak up heat fromHartle emphasizes that having reliable data from the wildlife the asphalt, especially during winters. Staff inspect the perimeterlogs is essential for assessing the programs effectiveness. We fence daily to look for any openings that animal intruders couldcan actually see the impact were making, he says.squeeze through. The airport also began trapping iguanas in 2019.The ever-evolving nature of the program allows the airport to Andersen says EYWs diligence is paying off. When I firstaddress emerging challenges and take advantage of new tools, started going to Key West seven or eight years ago, we used to January | February 2025AirportImprovement.com'