WATCH: Birds of prey protect Pompeii against pigeons

Ten birds of prey protect the Roman ruins of Pompeii from pesky pigeons that pose a risk to the archaelogical excavations.

Transcript

00:00This is Jiani the buzzard. She goes out in the evening to guard the archaeological park

00:07of Pompeii. Her job requires her to be attentive and efficient as she is called to control

00:14the park and defend the excavations from pigeons. During the COVID lockdown in 2020, the closure

00:21of the park led to a higher number of the birds nesting. They drove away other species

00:27and endangered the ruined ruins with their particularly corrosive droppings. The fragility

00:33of the heritage site means it's important all elements that compose it are kept in balance.

00:57Gianna and Aria are part of a team of 10 birds of prey who have been patrolling the site at least

01:20three times a week for the past two years. Their efforts ward off invasive and harmful species such

01:26as pigeons, magpies and crows. Guided by the signals of her instructor, Gianna uses her

01:45hunting skills to search the rooms of the Pompeian houses. But her mission is simply to chase

01:50species away. Falconry was also practiced by the ancient inhabitants of Pompeii. Today,

02:16it is an ecological method that respects both the environment and its animals,

02:20even those that Gianna helps keep away from the precious archaeological site.