Hawks vs seagulls at the Cannes Film Festival

A novel way to chase flying predators on the Croisette

Cannes has a reputation for attracting movie biz sharks, but a new predator has appeared this year – and visitors are delighted. Many people at seaside locations have had to deal with pesky seagulls. With so many visitors eating at beach restaurants to enjoy the weather, Cannes is obviously a prime target for the flying scavengers that can aggressively swoop in to steal food.

This can be not just a nuisance, it can be very intimidating with the larger birds.

The luxury hotel Le Majestic, located on the famed Croisette, came up with an interesting idea: hawks.

"Our customers go to the buffet, and by the time they come back, the gulls are devouring their breakfast. So it's really unpleasant, and it's impressive," Charles Richez, manager of the hotel Le Majestic explained to BFM TV.

They called in a falconer accompanied by his birds of prey to keep invasive birds away from tables. "Zelda is 3 years old and she has been specially trained to work at luxury hotels. We have Linx, a small male that is very, very fast," according to Christophe Puzin, falconer at the Le Majestic. “It's extremely effective."

Guests at the restaurant are both surprised and curious. The hawks offer yet another Instagram-worthy moment for people on the Croisette.

(Mcichael Leahy. Source: BFM TV. Photo: Unsplash)