KUWAIT CITY, March 9: The General Authority of Civil Aviation has raised alarms over the gathering of birds of prey near the airport, leading to the declaration of a state of emergency at the airport runway. The authority is urging relevant agencies to take immediate action to address the issue.

In a letter to the Minister of Oil and Chairman of the Supreme Council for the Environment, Tariq Al-Roumi, the Acting Director General of the Public Environment Authority, Eng. Iman Al-Kandari, highlighted the growing concerns related to the congregation of birds on the airport runway. Al-Kandari's letter outlined complaints from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation regarding the presence of birds of prey near the airport, posing significant safety risks.

In response, a coordination meeting was held with representatives from the Civil Aviation Authority, Kuwait Municipality, the Environment Public Authority, and the Kuwait Environmental Lens team. The meeting focused on finding solutions to the problem of birds gathering on the runway.

Al-Kandari emphasized that the presence of birds on the airport runway presents serious risks, as the birds could enter aircraft engines, potentially leading to engine failure, crashes, and other dangerous consequences. This has prompted the state of emergency at the airport.

Experts from the Kuwait Environmental Lens team, who monitor bird movements, have been consulted to contribute to finding solutions to the problem.

In the short term, one proposed solution is to relocate trees, currently 1.4 km from the airport runway, that are frequented by kites (Hadidah) for rest and sleep. The plan is to move these trees to a site south of the Seventh Ring Road landfill, about 6.4 km from the airport. This would allow the birds to rest near their feeding area without returning to locations close to the airport. Authorities are also recommending that waste in the area be tightly covered at all times, with stricter control measures at Kuwait Airport, the Subhan factories, and the Jleeb slaughterhouse. Coordination with the Public Authority for Agriculture and Fish Resources is necessary to remove barns located near the Seventh Ring Road, which attract birds.

For long-term solutions, experts have suggested moving leafless trees (mashla’a) near the airport, which birds use for resting. Additionally, relocating the Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh slaughterhouse to a site farther from the airport, designing tightly sealed waste rooms for the Subhan food area, and ensuring waste is disposed of at night are recommended. Coordination with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to implement bird-repelling devices around the airport is also crucial.

This coordinated effort aims to mitigate the risks posed by birds near the airport and ensure the continued safety of air traffic.