A Maritime company that created an electronic deterrent system to save birds on airline runways will soon be installed at four airports in Nigeria.
The company began in England, but when it folded, a former sheep farmer who used the product on coyotes bought the business.
“Started with nothing,” said company president Bruce Blacklock. “Called it Phoenix Agritech because the phoenix is a mythical bird that comes out of the flames.”
The wailers replicated hundreds of bird noises, including predators and birds in distress. It was originally meant to protect fruit and berry crops, but its biggest market is airports.
Halifax Stansfield International Airport has installed seven phoenix systems in the past 24 years, and 60 have been exported around the world.
“Most people go in and out of Halifax airport and don't even think about birds being a hazard,” said Blacklock.
The delegation from the Nigerian Airport Authority is visiting the Maritimes this week. They've seen the system work in Halifax, and plan to install equipment at the four biggest airports in Nigeria.
“Although we have bird strike problems in Nigeria, we don't want it to cause a fatal incident,” said Nigerian Ospeph Oyebamiji. “That's why we're here.”
Blacklock expects they'll be up and running in Nigeria within six weeks.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Dan MacIntosh.
