| May 18 — City officials in Graderville have announced an initiative to reduce the seagull population in town, focusing primarily on the Rockwell Beach area. — [1]—. Seagulls have long been a nuisance to beachgoers, and they can potentially be carriers of disease. Visitors to Graderville complained about the problem in record numbers last summer, prompting action from the city.
The initiative will involve using trained dogs to chase the seagulls off the beach, encouraging them to nest and seek food elsewhere. Other seaside communities have seen up to a 97% reduction in seagulls using this method.—[2]—. City workers will also place spikes on windowsills and rooftops near the beach to prevent seagulls from perching.
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Scientists at Way ton University have been studying the seagull population in the area and tracking the figures over the years. “According to our calculations,” said Wesley Lewis, “there has been an increase of 60% in the seagull population compared to just three years ago —[3]—. This is partially due to people feeding them, either on purpose or by leaving food waste out, which attracts more birds. That’s why they’re spending more time in town than ever before.”
People who leave food scraps on the ground or those who throw away food in trash cans without a lid will be fined $50 for a first offense and up to $300 for subsequent offenses. Officials hope this will deter people from providing food sources for seagulls in town —[4] —. |
