O'Hare's grass gives burros, llamas, goats and sheep something to chew on (includes videos)

[Rhiannon12866]

An assortment of burros, llamas, goats and sheep have been chewing on O'Hare International Airport's hard-to-reach landscape for two weeks now, and Tuesday morning the group of about 25 welcomed a new addition.

The baby lamb, a boy, was named O'Hare.

Chicago Department of Aviation officials said the project is part of the airport's sustainability effort. It is spending $19,500 on a two-year contract for the animals. Department Commissioner Rosemarie Andolino could not say how much the airport saves by using them instead of a landscaping service.

Similar programs have been used at airports in Seattle, San Francisco and Atlanta.

Andolino said the areas where the animals graze are virtually impossible for machinery to reach. She also said they serve a second purpose by shooing away other wildlife by gobbling up their habitat.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-ohares-grass-gives-burros-llamas-goats-and-sheep-something-to-chew-on-20130813,0,6445395.story

[Cooley Hurd]

1. Rec'd - this reminds me what the Federal govt did during WW1...

To free up the groundskeepers for the war, they employed sheep to trim the lawns around Washington.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. Is that why?

Something tells me that it wasn't up to the standards of the DUer who cares for the lawns now...

[liberal N proud]

3. That should provide some interesting incidents when the animals escape on to the runway.

Flight four, niner, niner to tower: I think we just hit an ass!

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Yikes!

[mopinko]

5. interesting. they were looking for goats.

ohare gained land when the air force left (shrunk? don't remember), much of which had been untouched for decades. guess the goats just weren't up to it.