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Strange but true...

Mar 14, 2018
Image caption:
© Brian Scott_flickr

Using eagles to hunt remote-controlled drones – this is the extraordinary form of airspace monitoring currently being tested by police in the Swiss city of Geneva. Two eagle eggs were bought for the purpose and, once hatched, the chicks were placed in the care of a falconer; following training, the idea is that these birds of prey will bring down drones autonomously. Both the French army and the Dutch police have also been experimenting with such unorthodox methods, although the Dutch had to cancel their programme owing to the birds’ unwillingness to obey commands. It is to be hoped that eagles will be allowed to carry on as before in their natural habitat – or will the Alps soon be seeing specially trained ibex butting from the saddle E-bikers who are too lazy to pedal?

 

Sources:
www.luzernerzeitung.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/adler-gegen-drohnen-in-genf;art46447,1206625
(de), www.nzz.ch/panorama/der-adler-ist-und-bleibt-koenig-der-alpen-1.18294802 (de), www.weidwerk.at/upload/archiv/steinadler.pdf (de)