#North Carolina town to install cannon to get rid of vultures

A small town in North Carolina has taken an unusual approach to get rid of a plague of vultures — a sound cannon.

Bunn, a town located 35 miles outside Raleigh, said in a statement that an automated propane tank will be temporarily installed on the roof of Bunn High School from Dec. 22 to Jan. 3 to combat the vulture problem.

“This cannon will produce 130 decibels of sound, like a gun shot, at specified time and intervals,” the town said in a statement.

“They will be programming the cannon to fire in the morning, afternoon and evening when vultures are likely to be roosting.”

The Raleigh News and Observer reported black and turkey vultures are common in North Carolina, and that the birds are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Although vultures play an important role in the ecosystem, they can also cause problems that include agricultural and property damage as well as health and safety concerns, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.