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It had been such a good year to this point, that complacency was inevitable.
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The mild winter of the past year meant no known losses of migratory geese and ducks staying in Central Park from December to early March. An early spring resulted in successful hatching of at least 13 new goslings in Central Park.
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And we had no recent reportings of either goose harassment activities or sightings of USDA Wildlife Services crews in New York City.
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That is, until yesterday.
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Unfortunately, the capture and ultimate slaughter (or gassing) of 50 Canada geese from Brookville Park in Queens yesterday, signifies the beginning and not the end of NYC goose killings for 2016. http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=f30b9b8b6b96841f3dcf76c40&id=5927705d10
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We don't know what parks were previously hit or which ones are targeted for goose roundups over the next two weeks. We do know that USDA WS does not make the trip to New York City for one roundup. Without doubt, there are other parks and city locations on this year's goose "hit list."
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Since WS seems to prefer previously targeted sites, it can be presumed that any parks subjected to goose culls in the past are likely to be so targeted this year. But that is not to guarantee previously "safe" areas to be safe this year. All of New York City is a potential "bulls eye" for government led goose culls. -- Especially those areas that don't normally get heavy pedestrian traffic in the early mornings.
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According to GooseWatch, NYC, a new goose killing contract has been signed between the city and USDA WS (after the old one expired last year), but details are not yet known. That is not only bad news for the geese this year, but subsequent years to come.
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Since roundups almost always occur just prior to dawn, few people are out and about that early to record them in photos or videos. Jeffrey Kramer who reported and taped the goose roundup yesterday at Brookville Park was deliberately monitoring the park. But I'm not sure how many other people are on organized "goose watches" this year. Obviously, Mr. Kramer can't be everywhere at 5 AM.
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For the most part, media doesn't want to report on the killings. If they do (such as the Daily News yesterday), it is with the use of both, euphemisms (i.e. the geese are "removed" or "euthanized") and rationalizations (i.e. "Airline safety, nuisance, health threat or too many"). News articles present the killings as palatable and "necessary" to the public through the repeated uses of fear tactics and obfuscation.
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Personally speaking, I am not too worried that a goose cull will occur in Central Park though as noted, nothing is guaranteed. But, Central Park is so public with thousands of runners up with the crack of dawn, that it would be virtually impossible to conduct a roundup in CP without being noticed. -- Especially at the Reservoir which is where most of the molting geese are located. The logistics just don't work there.
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Of course all this goes to add credibility to the arguments that these culls are not about "airline safety," but convenience, ability to perform activities without public notice, financial incentives and ease of operations. (i.e. nearby roads for transport vans and flat, grassy or sandy areas to easily corral and crate geese.)
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Unfortunately, the reality is that goose culls are not just happening in NYC. They occur in urban parks throughout the country during the six week period in summer when geese are "grounded" due to going through the molt. They are essentially "sitting geese" and are helpless to escape by flying away.
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Sadly and ironically, instead of practicing patience and realizing that the geese will leave these targeted locations when able to fly again by mid July, we use the "opportunities" to capture and kill them.
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And though we may attach different rationalizations for the kills such as "airline safety" or the geese are a "nuisance," the reality is cruelty and killing for convenience and financial gain.
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The geese have no voice to defend and speak up for themselves and they have no lobbyists in Washington. They are quite literally, the "geese laying the golden eggs" for easy opportunity and paychecks.
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Yes, it had been a good year in terms of a mild winter and nature's gentleness and cooperation so far.
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But that all changed yesterday as humans are not always noted for kindness, tolerance and cooperation. -- Especially when there is self-serving benefit to be derived from cruelty and oppression of others and that includes, unfortunately, Canada geese. -- PCA
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