STRENGTHEN TIES: Police putting priority on community input, 7 TOURNEY CHAMPS: Midget Storm win Richmond International, 15 BIRD COUNT
Numbers down again, 3
NEWSSTAND $1
www.delta-optimist.com The voice of Delta since 1922
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017
Polar Bears take chilly plunge on New Year’s Day PHOTOS BY GORD GOBLE
More than 200 people braved the chilly waters of Boundary Bay in the 37th annual Polar Bear Swim. See more photos from the New Year’s Day ritual on Page 12 and at www.deltaoptimist.com.
Power lines deadly for birds
OWL is sounding the alarm after 47 birds are electrocuted in 2016 IAN JACQUES
C o n t r i b u t i n g Wr i t e r
A wildlife rehabilitation organization is raising the alarm after another bald eagle was electrocuted when it hit power lines in Delta. Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society (OWL) said the male eagle named Flash is one of 47 birds that were injured or killed in 2016 after hitting power lines. It’s a staggering 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
“Two have lived, the rest have been DOA. It’s usually a pretty nasty situation when they hit the power lines,” said raptor care manager Rob Hope, adding the prognosis for Flash is not promising. Most of the incidents have been reported in an area bordered by 88th Street, 64th Street, the dike and Ladner Trunk Road, said Hope. “Ultimately, the easiest solution is to bury all the power lines, but we know that is not going to happen,” he said. “BC
Hydro has done a few power poles in the area to try and minimize the amount of electrocutions.” Hope suggests it could be something as simple as an extender on the top of the power poles, basically a mental bar with a two-by-four across the top, so when the birds land or take off they are not near the actual lines. “It’s a cheap and inexpensive fix and to get it done would be minimal. You would probably save a lot more birds,” he said.
BC Hydro spokesperson Mora Scott said they continue to work cooperatively with groups like OWL year round to address these issues. BIRD: see Page 3 SUBMITTED PHOTO
Flash, a male eagle, was recently electrocuted after hitting power lines in Delta. OWL, which is caring for the bird, said Flash is one of 47 birds that were injured or killed by power lines in 2016, a 30 per cent increase over 2015.
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