Indian airport overrun by lizards and jackals, flights delayed

NEW DELHI, June 17 (RIA Novosti) - Lizards, jackals and birds of prey caused delays of up to three hours for some 100 flights at an airport in the Indian capital of New Delhi, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Early on Monday, the airport's administration was forced to close a runway for about an hour after a pilot spotted a family of carnivorous lizards on a runway. More delays followed when jackals and kites were detected in the area.

The administration then called in animal welfare specialists, who chased away the jackals and caught some of the lizards. A number of reptiles are still at the airport.

Creatures of all sorts are common in the airport, especially during the monsoon period. In the past, antelopes, dogs, jackals, peacocks and monkeys have made their way to its runways, disrupting flights.