Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport deploys 20 intelligent pigs to deter avian infiltrators

Working on a strange and unique idea, authorities at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport recently deployed at least 20 "intelligent pigs" in order to ensure safe flight landings, according to reports of Register.  Schiphol Airport, which is main international airport of Nerlands and situated about 10km southwest of Amsterdam, has its area surrounded by lush greenery and often has a lot of stagnant water, which makes it an appealing spot for birds to roost and forage for food. Moreover, area is also surrounded by farmlands and some parts of airport area which is not under concrete are used to grow crops. This attracts a large variety of birds and geese. 

According to Register, Schiphol airport which is considered as one of Europe's busiest airports, is currently dealing with geese and or species as farmers have recently harvested sugar beet which attracts thousands of birds, and this could prove fatal for flight landings at airport. In order to keep se birds and geese away from runway, airport authorities have deployed 20 pigs between two of airport's six runways immediately after sugar beet crop was harvested. se birds usually descend on  leftover scraps and critter-rich overturned and exposed soil.

'Pigs eat crop residues so that re will be nothing left for geese': Authorities

According to authorities, Schiphol airport has a special bird-detecting rar and laser technology that continuously monitors birds near runway areas. However, technology failed to keep se birds away from flight landing area. " pigs were immediately brought to field within 12 hours of sugar beet harvest on Tuesday," Register quoted Josse Haarhuis, pigs' owner and proprietor of Buitengewone Varkens (Extraordinary Pigs) as saying to Dutch paper De Telegraaf. "y eat crop residues so that re will be nothing left for geese to get."

According to reports, Dutch flag carrier KLM h reported 6.6 bird strikes per 10,000 aircraft movements in 2019. Subsequently, authorities installed 20 bird controllers called "lapwings" near farmland areas. lapwings provide signals to air traffic control using walkie-talkies. airport officials said that geese are a particular problem at airport, with over 7,000 of cranky, belligerent fowl rounded up and killed in 2014 alone.

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