内容摘要：“In terms of the plan going forward, I would say everything is up in the air at this point,” said Jiang, who is now open to going anywhere in the world to work in international development. “At this point, it’s difficult to say what will happen.”

“In terms of the plan going forward, I would say everything is up in the air at this point,” said Jiang, who is now open to going anywhere in the world to work in international development. “At this point, it’s difficult to say what will happen.”

“Ned’s ready to go,” Keyser said. “He’s picked up on all that. He’s doing fantastic, running birds off.”Inside the airport operations center, Hercules is laid back until he’s told it’s time to work, barking at the door in anticipation. Ned, on the other hand, is always moving. When not outside, he’ll bring his blue bouncy ball to anyone willing to play fetch.

Charleston’s airport is on top of a mountain and has a menagerie of wildlife, including Canada geese, hawks, ducks, songbirds and bats. After it rains, worms come to the surface and cause an increase in bird activity, Keyser said.In addition to taking the dogs on their regular rounds, Keyser is in constant contact with the airport tower, which looks for birds on the field or relays reports from airplanes that see wildlife nearby.Hercules greets Janet Spry as she waits to board a flight Thursday, May 15, 2025, at West Virginia International Yeager Airport in Charleston, W.Va. (AP Photo/John Raby)

Hercules greets Janet Spry as she waits to board a flight Thursday, May 15, 2025, at West Virginia International Yeager Airport in Charleston, W.Va. (AP Photo/John Raby)“We get plenty of exercise,” Keyser said. “You don’t gain no weight in this job. It’s an all-day job. You’re always got your eyes on the field, you’ve got your ears open listening to the radio.”

Border collies are among the most energetic dog breeds. They’ve been used for decades to shoo Canada geese off golf courses. They’ve also scared away birds at other airports, military bases, and locks and dams.

The dogs’ instincts are to herd, not to kill. “But in the mind of the bird, they’re no different than a coyote or a fox, which is a natural predator for the bird,” Gibson said.“They’re like, ‘Hey let’s drop our kid off and go on vacation for a week.’ Or kid’s graduating, let’s get them through college and go on vacation,’” said McBirnie, who owns a pizza place in town. “They really bring a huge economic impact to this town.”

Yellowstone suffered a one-two punch betweenin 2022 that cut off access to parts of the park for months.

Tourism rebounded with 4.7 million visitors last year, Yellowstone’s second-busiest on record.Winding roads and natural distractions help fuel numerous accidents in and around the park.