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Summer is not yet half over, but already it's been a cruel one.
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In Central Park, all but one goose nest, were destroyed. Of the four goose eggs that hatched, one gosling now appears to have perished (though I am hoping desperately to be wrong on this). "Binky," the gosling with a leg injury has not been seen for some days now.
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In other parks throughout the city and Jamaica Bay Wildlife "Refuge," geese were ruthlessly rounded up by USDA "Wildlife Services" and sent to slaughter. Only one media source, (The Daily News) reported on any of the slaughters and that was only the roundup at Inwood Hills Park where 24 geese were captured and sent to their deaths.
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Nevertheless, the negative propaganda pieces on geese continue to propagate in the press.
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One which I have chosen to share and find particularly irritating (not only for its inaccuracy on geese, but even more so for its self-absorption) is this piece written by an avid runner who apparently feels that wildlife has no right to exist in a public park.
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I posted a comment to the rant asking why, if the runner dislikes geese so much, he simply doesn't choose another running site?
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Or, do those who have virtually taken over nearly every inch of outdoor park spaces for personal "exercise" simply feel that all is owed to them? There should be no birds or squirrels or anything else for that matter (including human pedestrians) that dare to inconvenience their runs or marathon bike rides?
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One would like to remind this disgruntled runner (and others like him) that it is not the geese sending people to hospitals and morgues as some cyclists have done.
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Nor is it the geese littering park watercourses and paths with plastic water bottles as many runners do.
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Finally, it isn't the geese mugging people in parks. Robberies in Central Park have, in fact, doubled over the past year. http://7online.com/news/yet-another-central-park-mugging-raises-concerns-about-crime/878344/
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It appears geese are being unfairly blamed and scapegoated for both, quality of life issues that humans create for other humans, as well as hikes in violent crimes.
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No one after all, has ever died from or significantly suffered from stepping in goose poop.
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Personally, I am very tired of endless media diatribes against geese and other wildlife and even more tired of the all too common narcissistic attitudes that have become seemingly ingrained into our culture. Attitudes that say, "The world owes ME."
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You know what, Mr. Runner, cyclist, mugger or person with cell phone glued to your face?
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The world doesn't "owe" you anything -- and neither do I or the geese. -- PCA
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