|
It is apparent that a few other people have questioned or even protested the excessive and irrational goose harassment at Central Park. But as previously noted, the people are fed propaganda, exaggeration and are ultimately and usually pacified. ("Three geese are a health threat.")
.
Or, in some cases, the public is simply ignored.
.
These days if one calls the Central Park Conservancy to question the daily harassment of a pitifully small hand-full of geese at the Boat Lake or non-existent geese at the other CP lakes and ponds, one is transferred to a number to leave a message. Usually, no one calls back and the daily Geese Police activities continue unabated.
.
In virtually all the instances of USDA Wildlife Services goose or other wildlife slaughters around the country, it is claimed that the public is "surprised."
.
But, should we really be surprised when these slaughters occur?
.
The signs and "red flags" are there all along. We just don't see them. More importantly, we fail to speak up when matters are comparatively small and speaking out might actually make a difference.
.
It is natural for many people to think under prevailing circumstances, "Harassment is not a big deal. The geese aren't being killed."
.
No, the geese aren't being killed today in Central Park.. But, they likely will be tomorrow.
.
Because the same vilifications and propaganda used to justify harassment of three geese on a large lake today, (as well as migratory geese) will be used later to justify a potential slaughter of the roughly 40 geese who return to Central Park in summer for molting and some attempted breeding.
.
(I say "attempted" breeding because this past summer, all the eggs of the five nesting pairs of geese in Central Park were oiled and prevented from hatching.)
.
One could of course theorize that with the current contract between the Conservancy and Geese Police (that apparently runs most of the year), the nearly 40 returning "resident" geese will be harassed out of Central Park this spring before they are able to re-establish breeding ground and molting residency.
.
But, since most or all of the approximately 40 geese were originally hatched in Central Park, they (unlike other geese) are well used to harassment (and dogs for that matter) and are not easily deterred and frightened off.
.
(Geese originally hatched at the Boat Lake in Central Park are even accustomed to boats, fishing, crowds and fireworks.)
.
Chances are most of the Central Park resident geese will prevail through the spring and summer despite harassment.
.
But, with what appears now to be a new "zero tolerance" for any geese in Central Park lakes and ponds, can these 40 resident geese be presumed to be "safe" over the summer molt, as they have been through even the worst of USDA goose slaughters throughout the city? (Slaughters that have taken more than 5,000 geese over the past four years, including more than 1,000 killed at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge over the past two years.)
.
I personally don't believe we can presume anything over the coming summer.
.
As there has been notable change in both, the rhetoric CP is using against geese, as well as its actions, I am personally concerned that CP leadership is being unduly influenced and pressured by USDA and other governmental agencies for a goose cull in the upcoming years.
.
While in the past it was somewhat comforting to think that too many people would bear witness to any potential USDA goose culls in Central Park, the fact that it is comparatively easy to mislead and frighten the public (and media) about geese opens doors for a potential slaughter.
.
If such sounds "paranoid" on my part, one needs to read thoroughly this in-depth article from National Geographic that describes (among other things) USDA influence on policy makers in the airline industry -- basically championing bird culls as opposed to refinement and investment in the more effective avian radar to avoid bird and airline collisions:
.
.
In recent years, I have personally watched the number of Canada geese in Central Park through late summer and early fall go from a couple of hundred several years ago to virtually none now. But, even these pitiful three geese currently at the Boat Lake are being subjected to daily harassment as well as any other geese who fly into any of the other CP lakes or ponds. (The Jackie Onassis Reservoir is, according to Geese Police, a separate entity from the rest of Central Park and under different leadership.)
.
That most people (including birders and otherwise animal lovers) don't see this as "red flag," suggests we are not absorbing the information from prior USDA goose and wildlife culls around the country. The fact is, discussion and planning for these deadly actions usually take place years before they actually occur.
.
We cannot act "surprised" by goose and wildlife culls when the groundwork for them has been laid months or years in advance and even when brought to our attention, we choose to look the other way and dismiss.
.
While gratifying to know that some people have questioned and expressed displeasure with continuing goose harassment in Central Park, the numbers simply aren't enough to have actual impact and are rather, easily dismissed.
.
The writing is seemingly on the wall for the nearly 40 resident geese who presumably make it back to Central Park this spring.
.
One cannot discount the now likely prospect that they will ultimately end up in the 2014 USDA WS "Goose Removal Report." --- PCA
*********
No comments:
Post a Comment