Put on your rage hat because apparently the Port Authority has killed around 20,000 animals over the past 2 years. Why? Because they’re monsters, that’s why. Via NY Post:
The agency shotgunned a northern harrier at New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport — even though the hawk is endangered in the state, according to 2012-13 data obtained through a Freedom of Information request.
Teterboro’s shooters also zapped an American kestrel, a small falcon listed as threatened in New Jersey. And hunters at JFK Airport offed 11 ospreys, which are labeled as at-risk in New York.
Dayumn! They’re killing animals that are at-risk? What else are they killing?
The most targeted animal was the laughing gull, with 5,729 killed at JFK Airport, whose nearby marshes are New York’s only breeding colonies for the birds.
PA contractors also killed 3,203 European starlings, 2,445 herring gulls and 1,908 mourning doves.
Seems like they’re just offing birds? I can get why they don’t like birds, because they fly into the engine and cause pilots to make emergency landings.
But birds weren’t the only animals in the cross hairs: Tarmac hunters also killed four red foxes, 11 coyotes, 44 muskrats, 62 woodchucks and 11 white-tailed deer. Eighty-two eastern cottontail rabbits were killed at Newark and JFK airports, along with 44 black-tailed jack rabbits at JFK.
“They take a kill-first approach,” said David Karopkin, founder of GooseWatch NYC, an urban-wildlife advocacy group.
“There’s no incentive to take a long-term look at this issue. Killing is a way for them to pat themselves on the shoulder and say they’re protecting people.”
Red foxes? They’re my favorite animals and comedian. Whenever someone takes a “kill-first approach,” you may want to quit the job and look into doing anything else. Literally, do ANYTHING else than kill adorable little animals. I think we should all take a breather and look at these cute animals.
Calm down with the killing, Port Authority.
Via NY Post