Pilot: “There’s a jackal on the runway staring at us! Are you planning to convert the airport to a zoo?”

Air Traffic Control (ATC) official: “We will chase it away immediately. And you need not worry, there are no such plans!”

This recent exchange between a pilot and an ATC official took place close to noon at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport. The pilot was busy guiding his aircraft to the runway when he spotted the jackal. Following his SOS (of a bizarre sort) to the ATC, the ground staff raced to the spot, chased away the animal and cleared the runway for take-off, recounts an official on duty on the day of the jackal.

This is not the first, or last, case of jackalspotting at the airport, thanks to the grassy patches bordering the runway. “We often hear from pilots how jackals hop out of bushes and come on to the runway. This happens more frequently in winter. But there has been no jackal mishap till now,” said a senior airport official.

The airport is high on the feather count, too. “Birds and jackals are the main problem at Calcutta airport,” admitted a pilot on condition of anonymity. “The jackals flee at the sound of the aircraft engine unless they are immobilised by the strong lights. One cannot take off or land if there is an animal on the runway. It can be dangerous if a jackal comes in the way of an aircraft. The engine, landing gear or other equipment can be damaged,” he added.

The grass on the airport compound is trimmed to cut down the risk factor, but “due to the fertility of the soil and climatic conditions, it grows back very fast”, said an official. “The jackals usually emerge at dawn or after dusk.”

Gunmen have been appointed to shoo away “wildlife” at the airport, stated an official. But one sentry per shift is supposed to keep an eye on the 3,627-m length of the primary runway.

Deputy chief wildlife warden of the state forest directorate V.K. Yadav said he was aware of jackals on the airport premises. “The Airports Authority of India has not intimated us, but we know there are quite a few jackals in the airport. There should be a survey on them,” felt Yadav.