Since 2014 offshore un-manned gas platforms near Mahakam Delta have been used by hundreds of egrets sleeping/roosting sites, causing nuisance. The objective of the research was to formulate a management plan in general and to plan a functional construction design to modify the existing construction in order to control the bird nuisance. Field visits were conducted in August 2019 and February 2020 to the gas platform complex (i.e. Dx, TMP-2, D), focusing on Dx Platform, of which its operation will be terminated soon. Basically, Dx Platform will be modified as egret’s roosting site. Attractants need to be constructed on Dx Platform, while deterrents should be placed on other adjacent platforms (D and TMP-2). Some suggested attractants are appropriate perch-sites, construction of cover (from strong sea-wind), provision of twigs and branches as nest material, as well as the provision of shallow water and food (fish). Suggestions for deterrents on other platforms are spikes, wire, and some other innovative mechanical/physical devices, and all are tailor-made for platforms. In addition to the Dx Platform modification, in the long term, the root cause of the bird nuisance needs to be tackled, namely the restoration of Mahakam Delta from excessive fish/shrimp ponds development.
Since 2014 some offshore gas platforms operated by Pertamina Hulu Mahakam near Mahakam Delta has been used by hundreds of egrets as roosting sites, causing nuisance to the platform and hampering the duty of workers/operator. The objective of this paper was to analyse the situation of the waterbirds’ nuisance, analyse the possible causes, and provide some recommendations. Field visits were conducted in August 2019 and February 2020 to three unmanned platforms (Ax, D, C) that suffered the most from the bird roost. Birds that infested the platforms were identified as great egret and intermediate egret, both are very similar in appearance and ecological requirements. The maximum number of egrets visiting C-Platform (the worst platforms) was 671 birds. These birds roost at night in the platform and leave the platform in the morning to forage for fish, eel, and shrimps in the wetlands of Mahakam Delta, about 2-4 km from the platform. The root cause of the infestation was believed to be the landscape transformation in the Mahakam Delta. Mangrove forest has been diminished and heavily converted into shrimp-ponds. The egrets’ foraging areas became ubiquitous, while the roosting/nesting site greatly decreased, forcing the egrets to roost on gas platforms. In the short-medium term, platforms need to be managed as bird tolerated-zone and bird-free zone (using deterrent), while in the long term, land-use in Delta Mahakam need to be restored.
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