Polly wants a cable

Pesky parrots driving up project costs for Aussie government

Polly wants a cable
Australia’s government has been rolling out a new C$35-billion broadband network, but it’s facing a peculiar challenge: Cockatoos. Credit: HJemastock (Shutterstock)

SYDNEY — Australia’s government has been rolling out a new C$35-billion broadband network, but it’s facing a peculiar challenge: Cockatoos. The pesky parrots have gnawed through steelbraid wires, costing C$78,000 in repairs, according to Reuters. “They are constantly sharpening their beaks and, as a result, will attack and tear apart anything they come across,” said network builder NBN Co. project manager Chedryian Bresland in a blog post. “Unfortunately, they’ve developed a liking to our cables... these birds are unstoppable when in a swarm.” Yellow-crested cockatoos are well-known for their big appetites, eating everything from fruit crops to wooden window frames. “(The cable) would have to be an acquired taste, because it’s not their usual style,” said Gisela Kaplan, a professor in animal behaviour at the University of New England. “It might be the colour or the position of the cables that’s attracted them.”

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