Vulture population at Gwinnett park has ‘dropped dramatically’

So for several hours last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, county officials and the U.S. Department of Agriculture closed the park and airport and tried a more concerted effort — one that entailed very loud explosions and the possibility of killing several of the vultures.

Gwinnett County spokesman Joe Sorenson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the efforts reduced the park’s vulture population “dramatically,” but did not provide specific numbers. He was not immediately sure if any birds were killed and, if so, how many.

Vultures are protected by federal law but the county had a permit to kill five, and the USDA had the ability to kill more if it deemed it necessary.

“Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation will continue to monitor the roosting attempts by the vultures found at the park,” Sorenson said in an emailed statement. “As in any wildlife management project, success is not overnight. This project will require vigilant use of available methods to continue the harassment of the targeted birds. The methods deployed last week were the first step to correcting a problem that took time to develop and as such will take time to correct.”

It was not immediately clear what that “harassment” may entail. It also remains unclear was initially drew the vultures to the park. Mark Patterson, conservation parks operation coordinator for the Gwinnett Parks and Recreation Department, previously told The AJC that the birds would only leave if the area no longer met their needs: food, shelter, space and, perhaps most importantly, comfort.

The county’s effort may be aided soon by Mother Nature, Sorenson said.

“It is expected that over the next few months as the seasons change, the birds will continue to transition from Rhodes Jordan Park towards a more hospitable environment where their ecological needs are met,” he said.