"One of the greenest types of energy poses a conservation conundrum – wind farms can lead to collisions with birds and bats. Is there way to build them so they don't harm animals?
One of my fondest memories from my first visit to Prince Edward Island in Canada was driving with friends through the eastern part of the island, admiring the bucolic scenery and the mesmerising wildlife. Travelling in a car of “tree huggers”, we were pleasantly surprised at the sight of statuesque wind turbines peppered between patches of woodland. It was exciting to see this small corner of eastern Canada going “green”.
At the time it didn’t occur to me that here was one of Mother Nature’s ironies: one of the most rapidly increasing forms of clean energy can also have deadly consequences for wildlife. Wind turbines – a technology that many view as a necessary component in the fight against climate change – can kill airborne animals, leaving lasting implications throughout the food chain."
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