I agree that there have to be controls on the population of the geese,
especially the snow geese as they are over-grazing their nesting habitat on
the tundra. One way or another the snow goose population will come down,
its just a matter of who or what is going to do it.
I'm curious as to why the increased canada goose population is resulting in
increased poop pollution. Do they not digest their food enough or is the
problem that they let loose in and around the water? Has the biomass in
their ecosystem actually increased due to their presence?
It's kind of ironic that the giant subspecies of the canada goose was once
endangered and now at least in my area that's the subspecies that is causing
the problem. The bird watching community around here has a disdain for
canada geese that used to be held solely for starlings and house sparrows.
Funny how things change.
Mark Otnes
Fargo ND
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Watson" <onefish2fish_at_attbi.com>
To: <nanfa_at_aquaria.net>
Sent: Friday, April 18, 2003 11:12 PM
Subject: Re: NANFA-- two local goose stories
> This is a serious problem in the Seattle (WA) area. These are resident
> geese and ducks, not migraters. Canada Geese and mallards used to migrate
> through our area. Now many have become resident because there are no
> predators.
>
> It is legal to shoot these guys during hunting season in hunting areas.
> There are no legal hunting areas where these birds congregate.
>
> It is now illegal to feed waterfowl in King county Washington. If they
were
> forced to find their own feed, they would move on. This prohibition is
not
> enforced or respected because many people feel that feeding the birds is
> their "contact with nature". I challenged a friend who manages a county
> park and he said "this is as close as some children will ever come to
> wildlife."
>
> The birds congregate in parks and other places where there is enough "free
> food" and "turnover" in visitors that the birds destruction might be
> challenged by someone.
>
> The situation described in the article is rare. The birds only pose a
> threat to the very young and the infirm. The real problem is pollution.
I
> mean poop pollution. They are big and they poop big. To humans the
effect
> is "swimmers itch". To the rest of the ecosystem (mostly fishy type
> swimmers) it's just plain poison. In an natural environment they would
face
> predators. Here they can poop on anything.
>
> For the last 4 years, the county has had a program to reduce the
population
> of geese. Because of intervention of animal rights advocates, the birds
> cannot be killed. Instead they are transported to Montana. I don't know
> what the Montanans do with them (can you guess?).
>
> Most people feed these guys with bread. The primary ingredient of bread
is
> grain. A grain fed goose or duck can taste pretty good. I say sell
permits
> to harvest these pests. Fills the coffers and the belly.
>
> Tom
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <IndyEsox_at_aol.com>
> To: <nanfa_at_aquaria.net>
> Sent: Friday, April 18, 2003 3:37 PM
> Subject: NANFA-- two local goose stories
>
>
> > <A
> HREF="http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/3/036781-2103-103.html">Pair
> > of geese attack disabled man near nest</A>
> > http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/3/036781-2103-103.html
> >
> >
> > A disabled Plainfield man was attacked by two Canada geese outside a
> > Northwestside department store in the latest conflict between people and
> the
> > growing number of the aggressive birds settling in at local ponds.
> >
> > The geese have become so prolific that the state Department of Natural
> > Resources has almost exhausted the 1,300 nest-destruction permits it can
> > issue this year.
> >
> > (see above link for the rest of the story.)
> >
> > <A
HREF="http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/3/036798-2943-009.html">2
> > won't be charged in attack on goose eggs and nests</A>
> > http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/3/036798-2943-009.html
> >
> >
> > A woman suspected of destroying goose eggs and nests -- and another
woman
> who
> > was with her -- will not face charges but will receive warnings, a state
> > conservation officer said Thursday.
> >
> > (see above link for the rest of the story).
> --
> > /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
> > / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
> > / Association"
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> http://www.nanfa.org
-- > /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily > / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes > / Association" > / This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association > / nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word > / subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to > / nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to > / nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead. > / For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org /----------------------------------------------------------------------------- /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes / Association" / This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association / nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word / subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to / nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to / nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead. / For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org