Mating hares block Milan airport runways

[kurth]

Mating hares block Milan airport runways

MILAN, Italy - Wild hares at Milan's Linate airport seem to have only one thing on their mind, and their excessive mating and growing numbers have blocked takeoffs, landings and radar systems.

Officials on Sunday mounted a daylight raid to keep these furry creatures off the runways, part of a twice-annual capture to keep the airport population under control.

"There are always hares at the airport, the problem is that lately there were too many, and they cause problems with the radar and sensors that monitor the airport," said Nicoletta Angioni, spokeswoman for SEA, the company that operates Milan's airports.

Blowing whistles and waving their arms frantically, some 200 volunteers spooked the hares out of their holes and into waiting nets. The animals — 57 hares and four wild rabbits — were put in wooden crates and transferred to a wildlife preserve, officials said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070617/ap_on_fe_st/odd_hare_havoc;_ylt=Aqq6amscYGQ4X8L3E1X13gHMWM0F

[barb162]

1. Sounds like my neighborhood.

They're everywhere!

[KG]

2. 'why don't we do it in the road...'

[barb162]

3. Yeah, what's the problem?

[KittyWampus]

4. they need some cats like my Felix. Felix turned this place into a bunny charnel ground

last two years.

He had fresh meat for dinner every day it seemed. And left all kinds of bunny parts and organs behind.

This year, not so much.

He must've put a real dent in their population.

[hedgehog]

5. I just had a vision of what the volunteers would look like in two years

after spending the day trying to round up amorous felines!

[XemaSab]

6. Weasels would help too

Rabbits.... when they're out of control, they're OUT OF CONTROL. :P