When power company crews arrived at the origin of a power outage in East Missoula they were shocked to find the cause was a deer that had been dropped on power lines twenty feet above ground.
Investigators for Northwestern Power in Montana deduced the deer was probably dropped on the lines by a member of a nearby family of bald eagles, according to the official report released on Friday. It appears one of the eagles had captured the fawn and, as bald eagles do, carried the eagle to a high enough altitude that a drop would kill the prey. The entire eagle family could then enjoy the carcass.
This is the first reported power outage due to a flying deer however wildlife have been known to cause power outages.
Consumer’s Power reports that squirrels and other rodents have been known to cause outages after shorting out localized transformers.
However the growing continually growing deer problem in Rochester Hills is not likely to result in a replication of the Montana incident. Bald eagles are stronger and larger than birds indigenous to Michigan. With a wingspan of up to 8 feet, a small fawn is no match for the strong aviator.
Deer do continue to create havoc with residents. With endless appetites, a herd of deer can quickly destroy the gardens of an entire home. This fact is causing residents to change the entire horticultural complexion of the city. Deer stay away from some forms of vegetation and bushes such a fire bushes, boxwood, and others. Deer Resistant Landscape Nursery in Clare, Michigan, offers the most complete list of bushes and plants on their website. See it here.
© Rick Weaver, all rights reserved.
Additional resources for you:
- Blog: The Anecdotal Leader, a leadership blog
- Book: Life’ Leadership Lessons– grow your leadership skills. Paperback, e-book, Kindle.
- Diversity information: Cultural Bridges– free information about more than 20 cultures.
- Networking: Employment Diversity in Michigan– a Linked In group for Human Resources professionals in Michigan.
Comments