Central Park Conservancy's Official Response to Reservoir Goose Deaths

"Floozie" photographed when ailing on Reservoir, shortly before her death. Despite call for rescue help, none came.

Floozie, dead the following day, her body then scavenged by turtles.

"Bozie," the surviving gander of Floozie. More than a week after death of his mate and loss of their eggs, Bozie forlornly searches the waters of the Reservoir every day and night, constantly calling out.

In a recent letter to a concerned individual, a Central Park Conservancy official suggested that the deaths of two nesting geese at the Jackie Onassis Reservoir over the past month were attributable to "possible attack" by a snapping turtle.  (Full letter at end of this entry with personal names deleted.)

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This speculation is highly suspect, as both geese showed signs of obvious illness and/or distress when abandoning their nests and appearing listless and weak in the water. While state of debilitation can invite attack by predator, such was a highly improbable cause of the actual deaths.  Rather, possible attack by a snapping turtle would have hastened and/or painfully contributed to the goose deaths.

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Urban Park Rangers and Central Park Conservancy were made aware of the second goose's distress when I called to notify them of her abandoning the nest and appearing gravely ill in the water. (She was not being attacked by turtles at the time.)  I predicted that the goose would be "dead within two days" and begged for rescue aid.  But I was cooly told by park ranger that they had "no access" to the Reservoir.  (Park Rangers do not have boats to rescue any birds on water, regardless of what watercourses the birds are on in Central or other parks.)

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Despite these facts, the letter goes on to "reassure" the recipient that the Conservancy "works closely with the Urban Park Rangers and various wildlife rehabilitators to make sure that wildlife in distress are rescued and receive necessary medical attention."

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Nothing could be further from the truth.

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As detailed in this blog over the years, I and other pedestrians have had to rescue distressed and injured water birds time and again with little or no help from rangers. This is not only true of Central Park, but other parks as well.

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Other times, we have watched birds die on the water as even we could not get to them without boats.

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But, the above are not the only statements in the otherwise short letter that raise serious question and doubt.

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The letter also expresses "sadness" over the "demise" of the two geese. This, despite the fact, both resident and migratory Canada geese have been relentlessly harassed by Geese ("Get the Flock Out!") Police throughout this and others years and their eggs destroyed. 

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So much have these actions been practiced, that the present count of resident Canada geese in all of Central Park is now down to an anemic 15.  

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In its closing lines, the letter asserts: "Staff at the Conservancy treasure the wildlife in the Park, and we respond promptly to calls regarding injured or sick mammals, reptiles, birds, and amphibians."

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"Treasure" is a strange word to use towards wildlife that the Conservancy has consistently chosen to display an attitude of both, disdain and indifference.

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Ultimately however, what disturbs most about Central Park Conservancy's official response to the recent goose deaths at the Reservoir is to once again, attempt attributable blame to and "scapegoat" another wildlife species -- in this case, snapping turtles. This despite the fact, time sequenced observations do not support this speculation in the least.

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The fact is, the Conservancy does not know and apparently doesn't wish to find out what caused the deaths of the two nesting geese within two weeks of each other at the Reservoir. (Both bodies were retrieved in sufficient time for necropsies despite the denial in the letter.  Quick retrieval was likely due to observers' complaints.)

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Had the geese died from some type of infectious or zoonotic disease, such could be disastrous for other wildlife or potentially even humans in Central Park.

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However, since other water birds at the Reservoir, to this point appear to be healthy, one has to suspect some medical interruption in the nesting process and/or over-tampering with eggs that negatively impacted the nesting hens as both geese died within ten days of laying eggs.

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By once again attempting inaccurate culpability to other wildlife for bird deaths and egg losses, (rather than owning up to their own harassment, egg tampering and rescue inadequacies), the leadership of Central Park (and other NYC parks) thus absolve themselves entirely from any and all responsibility and continue to pacify and greatly mislead the public -- the same public they seek donations and other support from.  

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(Actual Conservancy response below.) -- PCA

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Dear Ms. ............:

Your letter regarding the goose at the Jacqueline Onassis Reservoir was forwarded to me by....

We too are saddened by the demise of this goose, and we want to reassure you that we work closely with the Urban Park Rangers and various wildlife rehabilitators to make sure that wildlife in distress are rescued and receive necessary medical attention. 

We had been keeping an eye on the geese in the Reservoir and all looked well until one was found to have died, and then another one died a few days thereafter. We do not know the causes of death, but because the condition of the carcasses was identical, we are suspecting that a large snapping turtle may have attacked both of them.  

To rule out any sort of disease, we consulted with the Urban Park Rangers about the possibility of necropsies, but the condition of the carcasses, both of which were removed as quickly as possible,  was inadequate for testing.  

Staff at the Conservancy treasure the wildlife in the Park, and we respond promptly to calls regarding injured or sick mammals, reptiles, birds, and amphibians.

Please feel free to contract me with any further concerns or questions.

Sincerely,

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Central Park Conservancy

14 E. 60th St.

New York, NY 10022

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