Lizards, jackals and birds take over India Airport
Pastor Dale Morgan
Lizards, jackals and birds take over India Airport*
By DPA
Jun 17, 2008, 6:56 GMT
New Delhi - About 100 flights were delayed in one day from the
international airport in New Delhi after monitor lizards, jackals and
birds strayed on the runway after early monsoons hit the city, a
newspaper reported Tuesday.
A family of 1-metre-long monitor lizards were first noticed by a pilot
on the secondary runway Monday, after which flights were halted for
nearly an hour, the Hindustan Times said.
Further delays were announced after jackals and kites strayed on the
secondary runway, which handles aircraft landings, the report said.
There were heavy monsoon rains in Delhi Sunday as the monsoons set in
two weeks ahead of schedule, breaking a 108-year-old record.
Airport authorities had to call animal welfare groups for help in
removing the wildlife, the Times said.
The groups rescued lizards and chased away the jackals, but all morning
flights were delayed by two hours. The problems had a cascading effect
on incoming flights in the evening as well with delays of up to three hours.
Few monitor lizards remained at the airport and traps were laid for
them, a wildlife official told the daily.
Animal hazards are not unusual at Indian airports and pose a threat to
flight safety. In the past, monkeys, jackals and peacocks have disrupted
flights at the airport during the monsoon season.
In previous incidents, a rabid dog entered the airport and bit four
people before it was captured in a three-hour chase. A monkey also
triggered panic at the same airport and delayed an international flight
by several hours.