The following news item appeared in the Bowen Independent 8 March 2000
A Pelican was killed early Wednesday morning when it flew into power lines
near Dalrymple Point, blacking out electricity services to about 800 homes
and businesses.
An Ergon Energy spokesman said the bird hit the line at 3.15am causing two
main lines to hit together and then crash to the ground. The site of the
accident took an emergency crew about 45 minutes to locate and power was
restored to 600 of the affected homes shortly after.
The remaining 200 homes had power back on by 7am.
The spokesman said there had been no reports of damage due to the blackout.
Pelicans flying into wires was an unusual occurrence in the local area with
only a handful of instances during the past few years, he said. End.
Visitors to North Queensland should recall seeing the Flying Foxes tangled
in the overhead power lines, the cause of the great majority of blackouts.
First instance I know of involving a Pelican.
Jon Wren
PO Box 868
Bowen Queensland 4805
Australia
Visit www.bowen.qld.gov.au
Ph. 07 4786 2614
Mobile 0412 789 285 email:
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