TNAU scientists assess vegetation management at Coimbatore airport

A team of scientists from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) inspected the airside at the Coimbatore International Airport on Tuesday to provide guidance on vegetation management, termite control and bird/wildlife strike hazard mitigation.

They inspected the turfgrass in the airfield, particularly to check the presence of termites, which attract various species of birds and smaller mammals. Due to the dry weather season, grass in the airfield wither and gets infested by termites. Birds such as lapwing and peafowl and smaller mammals like mongoose feed on termites.

In 2017, an international flight was hit by a peacock while it was landing at the airport early in the morning. Black-naped hares are also occasionally found in the airfield.

The scientists examined the grass covered areas in the airside for termite presence and suggested mitigation measures, including use of insecticides. According to the Airports Authority of India, the team appreciated the efforts of the Airside Team on the maintenance of operational area.

The airport had earlier been using zon guns to scare birds before landing and take-off of flights. However, birds got habituated to the noise generated by these scare-guns at specific intervals and they have become less effective. At present, the staff on duty in the airside stick to the conventional method of using firecrackers to scare birds, when they are present. Hares that are found in the airside are being captured with the support of the Forest Department, said sources at the airport.

Movement of raptors like the black kite that scavenge meat waste and dead animals dumped in open areas outside airport compound also poses a risk to aircraft. A Sharjah-bound flight was grounded at the airport after being hit by a black kite during its take-off in 2023.

Airport Director S. Dharmaraj said the Airfield Environment Management Committee (AEMC) was taking steps to control movement of raptors like the black kite in and around the airside. AEMC meetings are convened at regular intervals to discuss measures being taken to address issues such as dumping of food and meat waste in open areas outside the airport compound.