Avian Protection
SSVEC has been part of a voluntary federal program, since 2003 (through U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services), which tracks power related avian injuries and fatalities, in an effort to find solutions to prevent future incidents. Preventing avian deaths is good for the birds and good for our members. Not only does it help foster healthy avian communities in our service territory, it also helps prevent power outages, keeping power reliable for our members. SSVEC works closely with licensed rehabilitators in Tucson and Phoenix.
SSVEC Preventive Measures Taken
- Engineers have changed construction standards to include raptor protection on all new structures.
- When an injury/fatality occurs at an older pole, it is retrofitted with raptor protection.
- Nesting deterrents are used to keep birds from nesting in dangerous areas.
- If an active nest is found on a pole and is at risk of causing a fire or electrocuting birds, SSVEC will try to relocate the nest to a safe area. If that is not possible, SSVEC works closely with animal rehabilitators who take and care for chicks until they are healthy enough to be released to the wild.
How you can help
- Report nests on poles. Each SSVEC power pole has a yellow identification tag attached. Write that number down and report it to SSVEC. With this number we can easily locate the pole and begin the process of tracking, identifying, and possibly relocating.
- Report any injured or fatally injured wildlife you believe may have been a result of contact with power lines. If contact happened once, it can happen again if the equipment on the pole is not retrofitted. Much of SSVEC territory lies in remote rural areas. If there is an older pole causing wildlife problems, we won't know unless it is reported.
Info needed when reporting
- Nearest Pole Number
- Name
- Phone number
- Details about the incident