Re: Why are Canadian Geese so Protected?

Q4u · ‎03-17-2010

@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@Q4u wrote:
All I know is that the Canadian Geese will spot a green area (park) with or wthout a lake and decide they like it no matter where it's located ..... they quickly make the grassy area a mess by using it as a toilet so no one can use the grass without consequences (ew) not to mention the unsanitary issues .... but our city council had a great idea.... they hired dogs!

Herding dogs that are trained to chase and herd the CG and get them back into the air.... and off they go. They are not bitten or attacked by the dogs, just chased and the dogs (they are trained and owned) get great excercise. The CG have gone elsewhere (out of the central city).... and that's a good thing.

I think this is a great humane way to handle the situation. Anyone who has watched the utter ruination of a city park by these birds and their feces should understand that the birds have no problem moving on out to the country....
Control dogs solve one parks problem, however the birds will just become a problem for someone else. The issue is with no natural predators in many places the population has increased out of control. Because they continue to be a protected species there is not much that can be done.

In our city's case, it has been very effective in getting the geese flying and moving out of the town to the country (towns are really spread apart). Yes, they come back, but not in the droves they had a few years ago, and I mean you couldn't take your children to the park because of the poop AND the geese would go after the little ones!

I understand about natural predators but unless the area is prepared to handle that problem.... you introduce a predator and the predator becomes the nuisance... you introduce another predator and then that one becomes the nuisance, etc. etc.... in nature it's never ending and why there is a balance. You have a man-made environment (a little park with a small pond in a small town) and it's becomes a much harder problem to solve. But this solution has been very good. Will they become someone else's problem? Who knows....but they'll have to travel an hour and a half at 70 mph to reach the next town to be so....

*~"Never eat more than you can lift......" Miss Piggy~*

Venezia · ‎03-09-2010

@151949 wrote:
Oh please - there is no terror in a cows eyes as it goes to slaughter. They are not aware what is going on.Cows are not very intelligent animals.

Okay, then..............................................

"" A little learning is a dangerous thing."-Alexander Pope

CrazyDaisy · ‎03-20-2010

@Q4u wrote:
@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@Q4u wrote:
All I know is that the Canadian Geese will spot a green area (park) with or wthout a lake and decide they like it no matter where it's located ..... they quickly make the grassy area a mess by using it as a toilet so no one can use the grass without consequences (ew) not to mention the unsanitary issues .... but our city council had a great idea.... they hired dogs!

Herding dogs that are trained to chase and herd the CG and get them back into the air.... and off they go. They are not bitten or attacked by the dogs, just chased and the dogs (they are trained and owned) get great excercise. The CG have gone elsewhere (out of the central city).... and that's a good thing.

I think this is a great humane way to handle the situation. Anyone who has watched the utter ruination of a city park by these birds and their feces should understand that the birds have no problem moving on out to the country....
Control dogs solve one parks problem, however the birds will just become a problem for someone else. The issue is with no natural predators in many places the population has increased out of control. Because they continue to be a protected species there is not much that can be done.
In our city's case, it has been very effective in getting the geese flying and moving out of the town to the country (towns are really spread apart). Yes, they come back, but not in the droves they had a few years ago, and I mean you couldn't take your children to the park because of the poop AND the geese would go after the little ones!

I understand about natural predators but unless the area is prepared to handle that problem.... you introduce a predator and the predator becomes the nuisance... you introduce another predator and then that one becomes the nuisance, etc. etc.... in nature it's never ending and why there is a balance. You have a man-made environment (a little park with a small pond in a small town) and it's becomes a much harder problem to solve. But this solution has been very good. Will they become someone else's problem? Who knows....but they'll have to travel an hour and a half at 70 mph to reach the next town to be so....

I understand the problems cities have, but passing the buck to the next town over is not the answer. Of course they will become someone elses' problem, its the same mentality of dumping unwanted pets in the country and telling yourself they will be fine.

Places were overpopulation has become a problem need to have options to control the geese. It may be culling the flock, reducing the number of nests and/or eggs, there could be a combination of many things. The problem is that because they are a protected species cities have limited options.

Someday, when scientists discover the center of the Universe....some people will be disappointed it is not them.

SahmIam · ‎04-16-2010

@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@Q4u wrote:
@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@Q4u wrote:
All I know is that the Canadian Geese will spot a green area (park) with or wthout a lake and decide they like it no matter where it's located ..... they quickly make the grassy area a mess by using it as a toilet so no one can use the grass without consequences (ew) not to mention the unsanitary issues .... but our city council had a great idea.... they hired dogs!

Herding dogs that are trained to chase and herd the CG and get them back into the air.... and off they go. They are not bitten or attacked by the dogs, just chased and the dogs (they are trained and owned) get great excercise. The CG have gone elsewhere (out of the central city).... and that's a good thing.

I think this is a great humane way to handle the situation. Anyone who has watched the utter ruination of a city park by these birds and their feces should understand that the birds have no problem moving on out to the country....
Control dogs solve one parks problem, however the birds will just become a problem for someone else. The issue is with no natural predators in many places the population has increased out of control. Because they continue to be a protected species there is not much that can be done.
In our city's case, it has been very effective in getting the geese flying and moving out of the town to the country (towns are really spread apart). Yes, they come back, but not in the droves they had a few years ago, and I mean you couldn't take your children to the park because of the poop AND the geese would go after the little ones!

I understand about natural predators but unless the area is prepared to handle that problem.... you introduce a predator and the predator becomes the nuisance... you introduce another predator and then that one becomes the nuisance, etc. etc.... in nature it's never ending and why there is a balance. You have a man-made environment (a little park with a small pond in a small town) and it's becomes a much harder problem to solve. But this solution has been very good. Will they become someone else's problem? Who knows....but they'll have to travel an hour and a half at 70 mph to reach the next town to be so....

I understand the problems cities have, but passing the buck to the next town over is not the answer. Of course they will become someone elses' problem, its the same mentality of dumping unwanted pets in the country and telling yourself they will be fine.

Places were overpopulation has become a problem need to have options to control the geese. It may be culling the flock, reducing the number of nests and/or eggs, there could be a combination of many things. The problem is that because they are a protected species cities have limited options.

VERY true. There is a call by many in my state to have them removed from the protected species list. The thing is, they are located in places that you can't shoot them so ......unless you're going to destroy eggs I don't see how you can reduce the number that easily. Many are killed on the highway as they won't fly over a road, they walk it. When you're on I-95 doing 70, you're not going to stop for 6 large geese crossing it; especially if you are driving an 18 wheeler.