Ever since the first Europeans came to America there have been
conflicts between people and wildlife. Increased population results in more
conflicts.
     According to an article in the Bucyrus Telegraph Forum, or as the
locals call it, the Telegraph Mistake, Santec Environmental Services, the
managers of the Crawford County landfill, obtained a federal permit
allowing for up to 75 gulls to be shot between January 1, 2015 and the end
of April 2016. Most likely the permit was obtained because the gulls were
defecating on the equipment and employees vehicles. With hundreds or more
gulls being present, I doubt that shooting 75 will solve the problem.
     Between 2003 to 2006, ring-billed and herring gulls nested on the roof
of a Shelby, Ohio factory currently named Arcelor Mittal, which in 2003 was
Copperweld. Several methods were used to discourage the gulls from nesting
including owl decoys, noise makers and wires ran across the roof. I believe
they finally got the gulls to abandon the roof by maintenance people every
couple of days removing the nests.
     In the early 1970s as few as twenty ring-billed gulls was a common
occurrence at Clear Fork reservoir. Since the gull population explosion
starting in the 1960s, we have gotten 3,000+ gulls at the reservoir in late
November. I don't believe anyone knows completely the causes of this major
population increase.
     As a birder I do not want to see gulls killed, even if they are the
abundant ring-billed gulls. However, a business has a right to protect its
property. The Shelby gulls were causing thousands of dollars of damage to
the factory roof. If I was employed at the Crawford landfill and had a
newer car, I wouldn't be happy about hundreds or more gulls defecating on
it. Not to mention the possible safety hazard to the bulldozer operators
that have windows obscured by bird droppings.
     Solutions to people vs. wildlife conflicts don't come easy. Hopefully
intelligent people are making intelligent decisions.
     John Herman

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