As metro Phoenix continues to sprawl, there’s a push and pull between the people and the wildlife that call this place home. It means resources — including habitats — are limited. But there are efforts to ensure wildlife have what they need to survive.
Laura Hackett is the wildlife biologist at Liberty Wildlife in south Phoenix. She frequently works with utility companies like Arizona Public Service to manage the red-tailed hawks, ravens and osprey who may want to perch or nest on power equipment.
Still, try as they might, “If the equipment's there, they're always going to come back because it's a high place, it's a good solid place to put a nest,” said Hackett.
So APS and Hackett’s team came up with a solution: APS lineworkers installed a 45-foot wooden pole with a platform and perch to give birds a nesting spot near the Salt River.
Hackett says there’s another reason why the platform was placed where it was.
“We put it in a location where when you come to visit Liberty Wildlife, you can stand directly underneath it and take a look at it, and we're working on getting signage there to explain why it's there and about our partnership.”
Hackett is hopeful some of the local species will eventually nest on the platform.
“So then we can maybe get to watch a couple babies be hatched and born out here.”
And it becomes a win-win. The birds will hopefully avoid the utilities and the public will learn about how the community is working to keep wildlife safe from human harm.
Hackett says there are plans to create other poles on the other side of the campus with SRP.
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