Electrified eagles spark action

AN ELECTRICITY pylon that has caused the deaths of several eagles in the municipality of Velez-Malaga has been renovated in order to prevent further accidents following pressure from environmental groups.

Specifically, the GENA-Ecologists in Action group filed an official complaint to SEPRONA, the nature protection arm of the Guardia Civil, in October 2016 after an adult short-toed snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus) was electrocuted.

At the time, GENA spokesman Jose Luis Gamez explained that “repeated bird deaths due to medium and high voltage installations” had been brought to the attention of the Andalucian ombudsman.

The pylon, located in the Atalayas Bajas neighbourhood has now been fitted with specialised elements that prevent perched birds from being zapped.

Gamez has expressed his delight at the development, but expressed his irritation that action was only taken following “three and a half years of dilly dallying during which Sevilla-Endesa [the company which owns the pylon] expressed a total lack of environmental responsibility.”

“Also, whoever installed the new elements has also left a mess at the base of the pylon, including flammable insulator crystals.”

GENA insist that there are numerous other pylons and items of infrastructure in Axarquia that fail to adhere to European bird protection standards.