LOVETTSVILLE (WMAL) — Officials in Lovettsville have finally found an unlikely solution to their vulture problem.
After almost three weeks of the vultures ominously keeping watch from atop the local water tower, officials set out to evict them from their new perch.
They found that the best option might also be the cheapest – and the most unusual. Officials decided to hang inflatable orca whales from the water tower in order to frighten off the birds, after consulting with an expert.
“Before we wanted to spend a lot of money, or make noises to scare them off, we decided to [hang the whales],” said Lovettsville Town Manager Laszlo Palko. “It seems to have worked. Once we put it up last week, their numbers began to dwindle every day, and they’ve been gone now for the last four days.”
Essentially, the whales act as scarecrows. While two of the whales have since deflated, one is still holding it together and scaring off the birds.
This wasn’t just an aesthetic problem for the town. Vulture feces are mildly acidic, which would have eventually eroded the watertower’s paint and that of any cars nearby.
Other, more macabre solutions were considered – such as the hanging of dead vultures as a warning to the living. However, that would have been a last ditch resort.
Besides, the whales are kind of fun anyway.
“Our town is known for being quirky,” said Palko. “We do a lot of fun events that attract thousands of people to our town. We really do promote ourselves as a fun place to be. We thought, if this solution works, and its fun, let’s give it a shot.”
It sure is a better sight than vulture feces.
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