Portimão municipal company EMARP has asked citizens to not feed seagulls in an attempt to control the increase of the bird’s population in the seaside town.
“The presence of seagulls in some areas of the town has become a real nuisance,” the company said in its ‘Notícias do Ambiente’ bulletin which is sent to homeowners along with their monthly water bill.
EMARP wants residents not only to refrain from feeding the birds but also to make sure they correctly dispose of their rubbish.
“Seagulls have a multifaceted diet, eating not only fish but almost anything else including solid waste,” the company explained.
According to EMARP, the birds have been causing “damages” and “disturbances”, such as the clogging of rain pipes with nests, feathers and faeces, which can lead to small floods and water seepage in apartments.
The company also complains that seagulls can cause damage to vehicles’ paintwork and to public heritage with their “acid faeces” and that they are known to become aggressive with people in certain situations.
The issue had already been raised last year, when residents complained about how “noisy” and “messy” the birds can be. Others said they were nesting in their balconies, and could “become aggressive” (click here).
Photo: CM Portimão
