Friday, February 28, 2003

You don't know Jackrabbits

Normally, rabbits wouldn't pose a threat to an airplane, but at Miami International Airport, that is exactly what's happening. According to this article from the Sarasota Herald Tribune, the airport is populated by hundreds of jackrabbits (Lepus californicus), which are not native to southern Florida, that live in the grassy areas between runways. Problems have arisen because the jackrabbits are attracting turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) to the area, which can be very dangerous if a bird collides with a plane or gets sucked into an engine. Airport officials are working with the animal rights group PETA to try to solve the problem, but the bottom line is that if they can't scare the vultures away, the jackrabbits will have to go...and it won't be pretty.

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