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Pigs at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport help to keep skies safe

A pig patrol has been recruited by one of Europe's busiest airports to keep geese away from farmland in between the runways.

The team of 20 drafted in by Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport is part of a range of measures being used to reduce bird-strikes.

The BBC’s correspondent in the Netherlands Anna Holligan has been to see them in action.

16 October 2021

Aviation safety

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BBC reporter, Megan Davies, is central looking at the camera. She in presenting the social video. On her left is are images of a dog and a traditonal fox hunting helmet. On her right is a fox. All three images have been photo edited into the shot rather than placed there. On the table is a coffee insulation cup

Are people still fox hunting?

One plane at Taoyuan Airport failed its initial landing amid the strong winds.

Plane fails to land amid fierce typhoon in Taiwan

Bernard and Twinkle the vultures perched on a log, in a cage, looking towards each other

Arthritic vulture reunited with partner after jab

Two dairy cow calves, with black and white patterns, standing in on hay and in a pen.

Cow has four calves in 'one-in-11 million' birth

Two rhinos stand close together in their enclosure, one is an adult and the other is a calf

Rhino calf with feeding issue now stomping around

Beds, Herts & Bucks

A pig tied by a rope around its chest lies in floodwater

Moment pig tied to petrol station is rescued from floodwaters

Tara Kehidi filming herself while sitting at airport

Women say they were ordered off flight for crop tops

Bomb goes off at airport

Hidden runway bomb explodes just after plane takes off

An Airbus Beluga, which shape resembles that of a beluga whale lands at Heathrow airport.

Watch: ‘World’s strangest-looking plane’ lands at Heathrow

Group of people next to a camper van

Van returns home after epic drive around the world

The Bristol Brabazon

The luxury plane that took flight 75 years ago

Maddie with the two binmen

Meet the dog brightening up a weekly bin round

Northern Ireland

Cruise passengers Angela and Stephen Theriac in Belfast

Meet the cruise passengers stranded in Belfast

Northern Ireland

Gentoo penguin chick standing sideways and looking at the camera with ice and a wall behind it

Penguin chick takes its first swim at aquarium

Hull & East Yorkshire

Thousands of dead fish are seen on the salt marsh beach in Volos, Thessaly, Greece

Thousands of floating dead fish blanket Greek port

A gold and green leopard frog peers out of some leaves

Endangered leopard frogs released into the wild

A bear eats honey off a measuring stick

Watch: Bears tempted with honey into zoo weigh-in

Beds, Herts & Bucks

Two swimmers look at an oarfish on a paddle-board with one man atop the board

Rare ‘doomsday’ oarfish spotted off California coast

Tortoise on a railway track.

Watch: Tortoise spotted walking on railway tracks

Cow and man sitting together

What is it like to cuddle a cow?

A view from an EasyJet plane window as it flies above and to the side of an erupting volcano

Plane passengers film Iceland volcano lava from above

Down below, a car park was swallowed up by lava and buildings were evacuated, but there was said to be no threat to air travel in the region.

Man in suit with black paint splashed over his face

Watch: Georgia election chief doused with paint

Official Giorgi Kalandarishvili was doused during the confirmation of a controversial poll.

Man holding a small child in flood water

Man seen rescuing trapped children in Valencia floods

The man and four children, including his daughter, were trapped inside at a English language school.

Three people help each other walk through water flooding down a street.

Watch: Málaga flood turns street into river

Video shows people in Calle Alcazabilla struggling to cross a road as flood water surges through it.

Government buildings in Dublin

Irish general election 2024 explained

A general election in the Republic of Ireland has officially been called for Friday 29 November.

Huge protest in Valencia

Protesters call on Valencia governor to resign after deadly floods

People are angry at the authorities' handling of floods which killed more than 200 people.

Simon Harris standing in front of microphones

Taoiseach Simon Harris calls Irish general election

A general election in the Republic of Ireland has officially been called for Friday 29 November.

Several cars piled up against a bridge in Spain

Watch: Cars washed away as new flash floods hit Spain

There were no immediate reports of casualties after heavy rain on Thursday.

Floor partially submerged in flood water inside airport terminal

Watch: Barcelona airport and highways hit by flooding

Video shows a flooded terminal inside El Prat airport and partially submerged cars on a highway.

Queen Letizia, with mud on her face, cries as she visits Paiporta in flood-hit Valencia

Queen Letizia in tears on visit to flood-hit Valencia

As anger flared in the stricken town of Paiporta, the Queen of Spain, with mud smeared on her face, was seen crying.

The BBC's Mark Lowen stands amidst scenes of chaos and flooding damage in Paiporta, the worst hit suburb of Valencia

BBC reporter in Valencia: 'The fury is extraordinary to see'

The BBC's Mark Lowen in Paiporta: "People are picking up mud, throwing it at the king"

King of Spain in a crowd with mud on him

Watch as crowd chant 'murderer' and throw objects at Spanish king

Spain's King Felipe VI is visiting the Valencia region, which has been hit by unprecedented floods.

Veronica Briz, a volunteer helping flood victims in Valencia, stands in front of an aid distribution queue

'This is my city, I have to help' - huge volunteer response in flood-hit Valencia

There has been a growing outpouring of solidarity in and around Valencia to help those affected by catastrophic flooding.

Collapse canopy in front of station with emergency vehicles

Aftermath of deadly Serbia railway station roof collapse

Several people have died, with dozens of rescue workers searching for survivors under the rubble.

Flood waters gushing down street in Spanish town

Video shows first wave of flood water gushing through town in Valencia

Cars were still driving along streets when the Valencian town of Paiporta was hit by devastating floods.

Nicky Schiller pointing at a water mark high on a wall, in the background the street is filled with mud

Valencia floods: 'There is mud everywhere here'

The BBC's Nicky Schiller says the La Torre area of the city has been completely devastated.

A head and shoulders crop of Bethany Bell as she reports live from flood devastated Paiporta, with a car and building behind her and what looks like silt from floodwaters on the ground

'We all know someone who has died'

The BBC has visited Paiporta, Valencia, where dozens of people have been confirmed dead.

Road partially collapsed and flooded area

Trail of destruction after Spanish floods

At least 158 people were killed following flash floods in southern Spain.

Nicky Schiller in Valencia at flooding scene

Valencia floods aftermath 'like a disaster movie'

The BBC's Nicky Schiller reports from the scene of Spanish flooding where cars are piled up.

Cars are piled in the street with other debris after flash floods hit parts of southern Spain

Watch: Helicopters and diggers used in rescues as flooding causes chaos in Spain

At least 95 people have died and more are missing after torrential rain caused devastating flash floods.