Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has registered a concerning 49 bird and animal strike incidents within the first five months of 2025, highlighting a persistent and growing challenge to aviation safety across India. These collisions, while rarely catastrophic, pose significant risks to aircraft integrity and passenger well-being, demanding a renewed focus on comprehensive wildlife management strategies. The issue extends beyond Hyderabad, with major Indian airports collectively reporting over 2000 such incidents annually in recent years, underscoring a national imperative for integrated solutions to protect both airborne operations and urban ecological balance.
Data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reveals a fluctuating yet high incidence of wildlife strikes at India’s top 20 airports. In 2022, 1633 such incidents were recorded, which then surged to 2269 in 2023, before slightly declining to 2066 cases in 2024. The first five months of 2025 alone have seen 641 strikes nationwide. While the national figures show a minor dip early this year, the consistent high volume of these events suggests a systemic challenge that requires sustained intervention from airport authorities, airlines, and local governing bodies. For Hyderabad specifically, the 49 strikes reported by May 2025 indicate a rising trend from previous years, with numbers increasing from 92 in 2022 to 136 in 2023 and 143 in 2024.
The challenge is particularly pronounced at major aviation hubs like Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, which consistently records over 400 strikes annually. IGI reported 442 incidents in 2022, peaking at 616 in 2023, before a slight reduction to 419 in 2024. By May 2025, Delhi had already recorded 95 such occurrences. Ahmedabad airport also stands out, with a dramatic increase in bird and animal strikes from 80 in 2022 to 214 in 2023. These statistics underscore that urbanisation around airports and changes in land use patterns may be inadvertently attracting wildlife, creating a hazardous interface between natural habitats and flight paths.
The authorities are actively implementing various measures to mitigate the issue. These often include habitat management around airport perimeters to reduce food sources and shelter for birds and animals. Technologies such as bird scaring devices, regular runway patrolling, and even specialized wildlife hazard management teams are deployed. For a city like Hyderabad, with its expanding urban footprint, the need for enhanced measures is paramount. This includes a more collaborative approach involving civic bodies to manage waste disposal, prevent open slaughtering, and address other environmental factors in the vicinity of airports that attract wildlife.
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Ensuring aviation safety is a cornerstone of a city’s smart and sustainable development. Frequent bird and animal strikes, apart from posing direct safety risks, can lead to costly aircraft repairs, flight delays, and operational disruptions, indirectly impacting economic productivity and passenger experience. The ongoing efforts by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and airport operators signal a collective commitment to address this escalating concern. A multi-pronged approach that combines advanced detection technologies, stringent environmental controls in airport vicinities, and public awareness campaigns is essential to safeguard the skies and maintain the integrity of India’s rapidly growing air transportation network, contributing to the development of safer and more efficient cities for all.