Raptor Burns from Landfill Methane Burnersby Gary Siftar Oklahoma Raptor Center Broken Arrow, OK
Summary
Solid waste landfills (a.k.a. sanitary landfills) contain organic matter that produces Landfill Gas (LFG) primarily composed of Methane (CH4) during decomposition. Landfills dispose of this gas in "Methane Burners", typically tall round structures or smokestacks. Active landfills often have an abundance of rats and mice, which are an excellent food source for various raptors. The nature of a landfill produces a treeless landscape. The height of the burner stack it makes an attractive perch for raptors waiting for rodents and other prey.
Typically closed landfills are a low traffic area, so it is believed only a low percentage of burned raptors are rescued, and most die due to starvation or predation. This is a nationwide problem that those in the rehabilitation community are aware of but that has not yet become commonly known by the general public. There are also other sources of such burn hazards. Power generation facilities have tall smokestacks that attract raptors. Oil and gas production facilities utilize what are called “heater treaters” which are used to make and transfer or apply heat to the natural gas that is produced from production wells. In this situation dead birds have been found inside the equipment. Some are burned, and some die because they cannot fly out or they are asphyxiated. Some possible remediation methods are to add structures or devices to deny perching, or possibly covering the stack, or providing alternate perch locations, such as a taller telephone pole. |
|
Background
Landfills, also known as dumps, can be sources of various environmental hazards, and often have a negative impact on wildlife. Some of the more common issues are caused by: 1
Solid waste landfills (aka. sanitary landfills) contain organic matter that produces Landfill Gas (LFG) primarily composed of Methane (CH4 ) during decomposition. Further, active landfills often have an abundance of rats and mice, which are an excellent food source for various raptors.
Landfill gas can be a threat to human health and contributes in a small way to global warming. Flaring or utilizing the Methane for energy greatly reduces its climate change impact, eliminates an explosive hazard, and can reduce harmful chemicals by incineration. 2
Perhaps there will be more emphasis in the future to get useful energy from the methane rather than wasteful burning it in stacks. There are many other industrial uses where a gas is burned in a stack, however this paper is primarily about landfill methane burners.
Burner pictured is 12 ft (3.6 m) in Diameter and 60 ft (18.3 m) High
Impact on Raptors
The nature of the landfill produces a treeless landscape. Because of the height of the burner stack it makes an attractive perch for raptors waiting for rodents and other prey. The burners have an igniter that causes a sudden flare, which can scorch or even kill anything perched on top, flying overhead or actually inside.
This paper is meant for general awareness of the methane burner issue and to solicit information from other rehabilitators who have received burned birds or bats, in order to prevent future injuries and deaths.
Singed Feather Close-up
Typically closed landfills are a low traffic area, so it is believed only a low percentage of burned raptors are rescued. It is believed most die due to starvation or predation. Because the US Fish and Wildlife Service has no statistics on the issue, a national effort towards remediation is not expected at this time.
The author has contacted several prominent rehabilitators who are aware of the issue and have also received raptors burned by landfill methane burners. One center indicated they had received red-tailed hawks (RTHA), American kestrels (AMKE), great-horned owls (GHOW), and red-shouldered hawks (RSHA); all apparent methane burner victims.
The actual size and scope of the problem is not known at this time. Further it is unknown if the problem is greater in certain geographical areas or if only certain types of methane burners or landfill types are more prone to the problem. We are in need data and facts.
Treatment Protocol
The standard protocol is to allow naturally occurring molting. It is generally understood that because of the risk of severe feather follicle damage predator species should not have feathers plucked to accelerate new feather growth. Severe follicle damage could result in permanent loss of the follicle 3. This means if you receive a raptor that molted last month you may have it 11 months before it re-grows the feathers and can be released. In the cases we have seen the author feels the damaged feather quantity too high for imping.
Other burn sources
“Oil and gas production facilities that utilize what are called ‘heater treaters’ which are used to make and transfer/apply heat to the natural gas that is produced from production wells. In this situation dead birds have been found inside the equipment --- it is believed that the birds enter through the stack and other openings on a heater-treater and they likely die because they cannot fly out or they are asphyxiated.” 4.
Remediation
It is hoped that we can get some remediation implemented to prevent or at least lessen occurrences of these burn injuries. Current suggestions are:
The author is specifically requesting from the rehabilitation community, the following information:
The author solicits e-mails to be sent to: okraptors@hotmail.com
Please include your complete contact information for follow-up.
Citations
1Noyes, K (2006) Clean-Up Your Trash, Charity Guide http://www.charityguide.org/volunteer/fifteen/trash.htm
2Joe E. Heimlich Ohio State University Fact Sheet – Landfill http://ohioline.osu.edu/cd-fact/0111.html
3 Carolina Raptor Center et al: http://www.carolinaraptorcenter.org/rescue_faq.php
4 USFWS Regional Biologist
|
The
burners have an igniter that causes a sudden flare, which can scorch or
even kill anything perched on top, flying overhead or actually inside.
