By Dan Healing, The Canadian
Press via 660 News
CALGARY – Oilsands giant Suncor
Energy says it is mystified by the discovery Sunday of dead and dying birds at
a nearly complete northern Alberta mine that hasn’t produced its first official
barrel of oil yet.
On Tuesday, the Alberta Energy
Regulator announced it was dispatching an inspector to the nearly completed
Fort Hills oilsands mine north of Fort McMurray after Suncor reported finding
123 waterfowl and songbirds near a tailings pond.
“On Sunday … a group of birds
were discovered in the north end of our Fort Hills tailings area and had to be
euthanized,” said Suncor (TSX:SU) spokeswoman Nicole Fisher in an email.
“The majority of birds impacted
were horned larks (a migratory species). The larks are not native to the area
so we are engaging with wildlife experts as well as the regulator to determine
what additional measures we can put in place.”
She said the company has launched
an investigation to figure out why the birds were in the area despite the
presence of working bird deterrent systems, including cannon, radar and
scarecrows.
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