Airport secures initial wildlife depredation permit; staff outlines steps to pursue bird permits and reporting

The board was briefed on wildlife hazard management and permitting steps to reduce aircraft‑wildlife strikes.

The airport manager (speaker 4) said the airport received an initial depredation permit from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks that covers mammals (coyote and deer) and explained depredation can range from hazing to lethal mitigation. He said staff will request a USDA site review (Form 37) to identify bird species on site and then pursue a migratory bird depredation permit with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Manager (speaker 4) encouraged pilots to report wildlife strikes, noting the airport’s historical low reporting in the bird‑strike database, and described collecting 'snarge' (remains) for Smithsonian DNA sampling to help identify species for mitigation planning. The board viewed permitting as a step toward safer airport operations and better data collection.

Staff will request the Form 37 from USDA and pursue the next permitting step with USFWS.