Cabinet approves national committee to address wildlife hazards in aviation

Daily Mirror and Newswire report that Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers approved creating the National Wildlife Hazard Management Committee for Aviation Safety. Daily Mirror says the initiative is intended to improve coordination among agencies addressing wildlife threats in civil aviation, including aircraft collisions with animals.

Newswire reports that the committee is intended to function as a countrywide coordinating body, with participation from relevant institutions. Newswire says the Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation put forward the plan to meet Sri Lanka’s responsibilities under the Convention on International Civil Aviation, commonly called the Chicago Convention.

Newswire says the government describes the Convention as requiring member countries to identify, evaluate and reduce wildlife-strike risks at airports and nearby locations. Newswire lists measures including documenting and reporting collisions, gathering details about wildlife that could pose hazards, and conducting ongoing risk reviews through qualified personnel.

Newswire reports that details of wildlife strikes must also go to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Bird Strike Information System. Newswire says ICAO’s Asia-Pacific guidance supports forming national committees or forums to coordinate aviation-safety responses; it adds that the new committee is expected to improve cooperation among authorities managing wildlife-related threats to aircraft operations.