Robofalcon Helps Ibiza Dump

Published 1 March 2010 Stephen White.

Tags: Ibiza News, Transport

relentless in its pursuit of prey

One of the big problems at Ibiza's main Can na Putxa rubbish dump is seagulls. There are hundreds of them everywhere as they arrive each day to scavenge on the tip and especially when the big trucks arrive with fresh refuse from the streets of Ibiza.

The Consell have looked to modern technology to rid the area of the pesky gulls by calling in a firm from Mallorca – Bird Raptor International - which has developed a remote controlled flying Robofalcon. Unlike the normal feathery falcons this one is relentless in its pursuit of prey and doesn't need to keep stopping for a rest.

The early bird catches a worm

It acts as a 'sheepdog' by herding the gulls away from the area and in the last ten months since it started patrolling the skies has reduced the bird population by 60% to 70%. It's needed because of the proximity of the dump to the flightpath of planes landing at the airport and because wealthy golfers at the nearby Roca Llisa course were sick of big white patches appearing on their Lyle and Scott jumpers!

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