In Butte, Montana, a toxic lake created from a former copper mine poses a deadly threat to migrating birds, with acidic water able to "cook them from the inside out." To combat this, Mark Mariano, a waterfowl protection specialist, uses a multi-million dollar arsenal of high-tech tools, including drones, lasers, and propane cannons, to scare birds away from the lake. His efforts, combined with the work of researchers and conservationists, have significantly reduced bird deaths at the site. Nearby, the Warm Springs Wildlife Management Area, a constructed preserve created to mitigate the effects of mining waste, provides a safe haven for hundreds of thousands of birds. While the impact of over a century of mining pollution cannot be fully erased, the work of individuals like Mark, Gary, and Stella offers hope for the future of Montana's bird population.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Mark Mariano is a waterfowl protection specialist who works to keep birds off a toxic lake in Montana.
2. The lake, formerly a copper mine in Butte, Montana, was shut down in 1982 and has been filling with acidic water ever since.
3. The acidic water can "cook" birds from the inside out if they land on the lake for more than a few hours.
4. Mark uses a variety of tools, including a rifle, propane cannons, and a drone, to scare birds away from the lake.
5. The lake attracts over 50 bird species, including snow geese, avocets, and grebes.
6. In 2016, an estimated 60,000 snow geese landed on the lake, resulting in the deaths of about 3,000 birds.
7. After the 2016 incident, the companies working to clean up the lake brought in experts to devise a more scientific approach to keeping birds away.
8. The new approach includes a variety of high-tech tools, including a drone and a high-powered laser.
9. The Berkeley Pit, where Mark works, is a toxic lake created by mining activity.
10. The pit is part of a larger effort to clean up the environmental damage caused by mining in Montana.
11. The Warm Springs Wildlife Management Area, located downstream from the pit, is a constructed area that has become a preserve for wildlife.
12. The area was created in 1908 after a flood washed mining waste into local waterways, killing fish and making the water unsafe for humans.
13. The ponds at Warm Springs were built to neutralize the water with lime, making it safe for wildlife.
14. Experts caution that it's impossible to erase over 100 years of mining pollution, but efforts are being made to correct the problems of the past.