The Long, Sordid History of USDA Wildlife Services

The long, sordid war on Canada geese is, in reality, just the tip of the iceberg.

A few days ago, the following was posted in comment to  (61) Call of the Canada Geese :

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"The NY Canada Goose Environmental Assessment says 'while the biological carrying capacity for resident Canada geese in NY may be greater than the statewide population, the 'wildlife acceptance capacity' (WAC) is probably lower.'    So that means the environment can support the population and the only reason for killing is people don't find the goose population acceptable...which is no wonder given the lies spewed by the USDA about them and the fact they don't teach communities humane methods of managing their population." 

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Rarely are truer statements posted on Facebook pages and indeed there are certain terms from this we need to remember, such as "Wildlife Acceptance Capacity" (WAC).

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As the writer correctly points out, this has nothing to do with whether a species (such as Canada geese) has reproduced beyond the environment's ability to support it. It has everything to do with human tolerance and acceptance of natural wildlife as the very name implies.

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For a number of years now, it has been the goal of the Department of the Interior and numerous other state and city agencies to "reduce" by 2/3rds, the number of geese allowed to breathe in New York State:

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Officials Plan to Eliminate 170,000 Canada Geese in New York - NYTimes.com

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And yet, even at its highest number, according to the statement above, ..."the biological carrying capacity for resident Canada geese in NY may be greater than the statewide population."

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In other words, even at 250,00, Canada geese would not be overpopulating their environment in New York State.

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So, what does it say that we would endeavor to "reduce" by 2/3rds (to 75,000) an already low population of geese for the environment supporting them? 

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It says that we humans must have a shockingly low tolerance and "acceptance" of natural wildlife.  -- Either that, or we are not making our beliefs and values known to our political representatives.

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Moreover,  though there are many people (most notably, political conservatives) who seem to shun nearly everything the federal government stands for, these same people are often among the very first to "call in the feds" when they want animals (including geese) killed for becoming inconvenient. 

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But, of course, this is ultimately not a "conservative" or "liberal" issue as much as it is a social issue of human tolerance and acceptance.

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And yet our history of wildlife acceptance seems a sorry one with almost constant reliance on the federal government to secretly "get rid of animals" whom we have deemed some kind of "nuisance" or inconvenience.

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And no one performs these secret wildlife exterminations better than USDA Wildlife Services.

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Rather than me attempting to write out the long, sordid history of Wildlife Services, the guys at Predator Defense.org have done a much better job than I could hope to do.

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Please take the time to visit their web site and read carefully and fully.

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http://www.predatordefense.org/USDA.htm

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And then consider that their focus is the war on predators in this country -- especially coyotes.

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They barely touch our war on the bird life in the United States -- especially our beleaguered and forever maligned Canada geese.  -- PCA

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"If It Doesn't Make Sense, It is Not True" (Goose Carnage Defies Common Sense)

As Bald Eagles (our national symbol) were deemed "vermin" in past centuries and nearly wiped out in the United States, Canada geese have been declared the new 21st Century "pest" to be targeted and nearly extirpated.

My favorite TV personality is Judge Judy Sheindlin.

She is noted for saying, "If it doesn't make sense, it is usually not true."

One imagines the famous judge would have a field day with USDA WS as virtually none of the excuses they offer up for goose massacres around the country make any sense.

For examples:

"Airline Safety."  

CAUSES OF PLANE CRASHES: "50% pilot error, 7% other human error, 12% weather, Mechanical failure 22%, sabotage 9%, all others less than 1%." 

Bird strikes actually compose 0.68% of causes for plane crashes. And of these, Canada geese represent a tiny percentage of that miniscule figure. 

Of course, much hoopla and justification for goose kills occurred following the "Miracle on the Hudson" incident in January of 2009. 

But, in that case an airliner (which on the previous flight experienced "engine stall" problems and almost had to emergency land),  collided with two migratory geese from Labrador, Canada.  Passengers report scare on earlier US Airways Flight 1549 - CNN

Planes frequently hit birds, but almost never land in rivers. 

That this one did, should have raised alarm bells among the media and the powers that be, but tragically didn't.

Since 2009, thousands of resident Canada geese have been ruthlessly rounded up and massacred in New York City with not one human made "safer" when traveling on an airliner.

Yesterday's plane crash in San Francisco illustrates this point.  -- A crash almost certainly involving pilot error and/or mechanical issue:   http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2013/07/06/airline-crash-san-francisco/2495099/

Moreover, had we killed every resident goose in the United
States prior to the 2009, "Miracle on the Hudson," it would not have prevented the incident that involved migratory birds from another country and a mechanically compromised plane. 

Surely, Judge Judy would ask, "Why are you killing the rabbits when it was the gas tank that blew up the car?"

"Goose Poop" 

Geese are grazers and grass eaters.  Their droppings are comprised of mostly recycled grass. The droppings have no odor and often appear like mud.  While mud is usually not pleasant to walk through, it is not harmful to human health.  Neither are goose droppings. When composted, goose droppings serve as cheap and effective grass fertilizer.   But, here is the bottom line:  Every living creature on the earth (including humans) poops.   That we would specifically target one species for massacre because of this, in Judge Judy's words, "makes no sense."   

One could just imagine the famous judge saying,  "My two little dogs poop!  Are you going to kill them, too?"

"Destruction of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Salt Marshes."  

USDA WS and their accomplices are obviously seeking other justifications for killing geese as the ones they have offered up so far are full of holes. 

I cannot personally say what is causing damage to JBWR salt marshes, but it makes no sense that the wildlife and waterfowl this area was created to "protect" would be the cause of wetland habitat destruction.  Especially (as pointed out yesterday) waterfowl flying into the area for six weeks out of an entire year to molt.   

Last year, more than 700 geese were killed from JBWR.  And yet, they claim to still have "problems" this year. 

Could it be the hurricane that struck NYC last year and caused billions of dollars of waterfront damage and destruction?  Could it be sewage runoff damage?   It is not for me to say.  

But, it is for any thinking person to question how waterfowl causes "destruction" to wetlands and waterfront properties -- their natural habitats.    It makes zero sense.  

One could hear Judge Judy ask, "Do fish destroy the oceans?"

"The Geese are Overabundant." 

From the New York Observer, 7-3-13:

"The government is apparently trying to nearly halve the Canada goose population in 17 Atlantic states, to 650,000 from 1.1 million." 

 

 One needs to imagine the bureaucrats sitting behind desks in Washington and figuring out the "optimum" population of any species. Thousands of species are headed towards extinction, but apparently Canada geese have done fairly well despite climate change, loss of natural habitat and hunting.

What then? " KILL 'Em!" the bureaucrats clamor!

There was a time when the powers that be determined that all birds of prey were "vermin" and needed to be extirpated in this country.

By the 1960's there were for example, only 400 breeding pairs of bald eagles in the United States.

Not wanting to see the nation's national symbol wiped out from both hunting and the deadly effects of DDT, the congress and the President (Nixon) finally passed laws for environmental protection and the banning of DDT in the early 70's. 

Yes, the eagles have apparently been saved and have since been removed from the Endangered Species List.

But, now the new target for extirpation is Canada geese.

No, the government is not seeking to wipe out Canada geese entirely as the birds are still a desirable hunting target.

But, like the eagles and other raptors, the geese have been depicted and declared "pests" and in some cases, even vermin.  No doubt the "war" against the geese is very much on as it was against our national symbol a hundred years ago.

But, let us consider what eventually happened to Passenger Pigeons who at one time existed in the hundreds of millions.  The last one went extinct early in the last century.

A little more than one million Canada geese for the entire east coat doesn't seem like a huge number -- especially when one considers we get more than a million people at a typical Times Square New Year's Eve celebration.

Judge Judy probably wouldn't ask the question, but I am:

What happens when these same bureaucrats figure out that the human population is "overabundant?"

"Feed the Hungry" 

Of all the rationalizations for wild goose carnage in NYC, this is the most laughable and disturbing.   In fact, even Martin Lowney of USDA admitted in a phone conversation last year that the geese "yield so little edible meat" it was not a reason for roundups.   

The typical Canada goose weighs more than ten pounds -- and yet only provides less than one pound of meat.

The (taxpayer) costs of rounding up, transportation, slaughtering and distributing these birds for human consumption ultimately makes Canada geese more expensive than caviar to "feed the poor."  (And that is not counting costs to ideally "test" the geese for pesticides, PCBs, mercury and lead contaminations.) 

Apparently, instead of testing the geese for toxins, "warning labels" are put on the meat to " not eat more than once a month."  Perhaps they should really read, "Eat at your own risk and possible peril."  

What would Judge Judy ask of this sham?   "When are you rounding up park squirrels and robins for human consumption?"

Yesterday, I wrote of absurdities to explain atrocity.

It was simply a more philosophical way of saying, "If it doesn't make sense, it is usually not true."

Only when it comes to USDA WS roundups and massacres of park and wetlands Canada geese, one can omit the word, "usually."  -- PCA

                                                            


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Atrocity Explained By Absurdity

Preparing for flight. -- Geese at the Central Park Boat Lake this morning. Wing flight feathers quickly filling in.

"Papa" the lead gander of the group looking over his charges and figuring out courses over next few weeks, some of which will involve flight.

All Central Park geese accounted for and safe this morning.

The Boat Lake geese are suddenly looking good with missing flight feathers coming in. 

While none are actually flying yet (like the one goose at the Reservoir) it seems they could be ready for flight in perhaps a week or so.   The geese are constantly preening, bathing  and flapping wings as if in excited preparation for flight.

Knowledge of geese soon gaining flight brings us to a ghastly realization concerning the geese ruthlessly ripped from Jamaica Bay Wildlife "Refuge" earlier in the week:

We learn today that 262 geese were sent to their deaths from the place wrongly calling themselves a "sanctuary" for wildlife (far lower than the inflated "500 geese" wrongly reported in the press).

We also learn from (27) GooseWatch NYC that most of these 262 geese arrived to JBWR in June as there were only a "few dozen" reported geese at the "refuge" in May. 

That leaves zero doubt that most of these hapless geese sought out and determined JBWR to be a safe place for the molt and would have LEFT ON THEIR OWN ACCORD in less than two weeks -- when getting their flight feathers.

Not only was the roundup and torture of these geese before slaughter (or gassing) exceedingly cruel and barbaric, but it was also an inexcusable squandering of tax money. 

The fact is, most of the 262 geese would have been at JBWR less than six weeks out of the entire year.

In response to hundreds of angry comments on their Facebook page (110) Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge  acknowledged the "cull" and posted this lame explanation on Wednesday:

"Yes there has been a goose cull today at Gateway NRA conducted by Wildlife Service of US Dept of Agriculture with a park biologist to direct and observe.

Geese have repeatedly been cited as a hazard to the flying public at JFK Airport, which borders on Jamaica Bay. Canada geese are currently overabundant native species which damages salt marsh areas that Gateway (along with other Agencies) are restoring.

Gateway NRA protects the entire habitat of Jamaica Bay. Over 325 species of birds alone fly through here, with more species of mammals, marine life and plant life, on land and off shore. An overabundance of native species upsets the balance of this habitat, destroys resources such as salt marshes and fundamentally alters the balance of the area. Geese rip out the roots of grass plants that anchor the salt marsh islands. At marsh restoration sites throughout the bay geese have picked clean new plantings, and cause significant damage.

For more information consider following this link http://www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/ws/ws_new_york_jfk_2.shtml" 

JBWR conveniently blames flightless geese staying there only six weeks of the year for a variety of problems including destruction of salt marshes and then directs visitors to a USDA WS link. -- The same agency making a cash killing (literally) of the geese.

In addition to the appearance of being heartless sadists (i.e. laughing during the roundup and terrorizing of the geese), the people running this "sanctuary" and their "rangers" also appear to be intellectually challenged with little or no apparent knowledge of the geese on their "refuge."  

They offered up their temporary, molting geese to a Kill for Cash program that was on every level wrong and wasteful.

JBWR can keep making different excuses for the carnage,  but they are merely throwing  crap at the wall hoping something will stick. So far, nothing is with any thinking person.  -- Just the madness and folly of their lies and the inhumanity of their character.

The great philosopher, Voltaire once said.  "Those who make you believe absurdities will make you commit atrocities."

Atrocity occurred at Jamaica Bay Wildlife "Refuge" this week.  And the forces in power attempted to explain it away with absurdity.

Shame on them and shame on us.  -- PCA

                                                           


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One Goose Flying

A tragic week for geese, but even more tragic for the survival of human decency and mercy.

A mama mallard who appreciates having a goose around.

"My daddy is a gander!"

One goose flying across the Reservoir.

Goose splashing at the Boat Lake in Central Park. -- One of the few safe places for geese in New York City (so far).

Papa goose keeping watch over flock at Boat Lake.

I felt I was carrying two ton weights when leaving for Central Park yesterday morning.

Events of the past few weeks -- particularly the unfathomable roundup and slaying of up to 500 Canada geese from Jamaica Bay Wildlife "Refuge" this past Tuesday -- had a strangely numbing and crushing effect upon both, the body and the senses.

Every step felt as though I was sinking into the ground.

But, when arriving to the Jackie Onassis Reservoir, the 17 geese there immediately recognized me from across the watercourse and quickly headed in my direction.

Spirits suddenly lifted.

One of the geese was flying!

In light of the brutal and despicable goose massacres occurring all around the city, one can only breathe great sigh of relief when still being able to bask in the warm greetings from our known and feathered friends: 

"Hi there!  Good to see you again!"

All the Reservoir geese accounted for, it would have been easy to assume the safety of all Central Park geese and return home.

But, feeling rejuvenated and energized, I wanted to visit Papa goose and his flock of 12 at the Boat Lake.

"Papa" is an old gander, who, with his long time mate, "Mama" raised six goslings at Turtle Pond in 2010.  (Papa is also pictured on my Facebook badge tending to his babies at that time.)   Papa is easily recognizable due to a profound limp on his left leg which he has had for years.

Sadly, Mama did not seem to make it through the past year.

A very old goose like her mate, Mama was not in great shape last year when going through the summer molt.  When at last her flight feathers grew in, Mama bravely flew out of Central Park with Papa and the rest of the gaggle last August, but has not been seen since.

Papa has not taken on a new mate, but he has taken on the helm of leadership of the gaggle of 12 at the Boat Lake. (Battle scars on the front of his chest.)

Geese (unlike humans) are very revered of their elders.  Age seems to be a badge of honor and respect in goose communities as opposed to something to be feared and avoided at all costs.

As he always does, Papa led his troops to greet me yesterday.   

I sat on a small rock and just chilled in the beauty, tranquility and peace surrounding me.

Papa and a couple of the youngsters nibbling cracked corn from my hand, while several other geese preened and bathed in the water nearby.

For all the complaints about how "dirty" the "poop" they leave, Canada geese are extremely clean and fastidious birds.   I see them endlessly preening and splashing water to keep themselves spotlessly clean.  One can spend up to an hour around the geese and not see one of them poop. 

Sometimes the flock separates.  In that case, the geese "call" across the water to share their locations and eventually reunite.  

This occurred yesterday when a few of the more wary geese were spooked by a passing dog and took off for the other side of the lake.  They disappeared out of sight.

Some time later, several loud honks echoed through the air from some distance away. 

"Hey, we are over on the north side.  Should we start heading your way?"

"Yes, swim south and we will meet you in the middle of the lake by the island rock." Papa honked back with authority.  

Ultimately, all the geese reunited in the middle of the water and swam off together.  It was fascinating to listen to and see.

Oh, and how other waterfowl appreciate the geese!  

The previous day I had been to Harlem Meer where there is a "loner" goose who flew in less than two weeks ago -- presumably from having escaped a USDA goose roundup elsewhere in the city.

I feel sorry for this particular goose.  Knowing how devoted, attached and dependent geese are to their mates and flocks, a lone goose is a sorry sight indeed. Not only to grieve for the loss of kind, but also to try and survive as nature does not intend for geese.

But, it seems this lone goose is not so "alone" after all.

A mama mallard and her tiny ducklings have apparently decided that the lonely goose serves well as a makeshift, temporary "daddy" and protector.  Mama mallard sometimes left her babies with the goose while she proceeded to chase away other mallards.  What better than a Canada goose to watch the kids while mama attends to other duties?

I have always maintained that mallards are among nature's greatest opportunists.

A goose without a flock is a sad sight to see, but to a mallard it is easy and available opportunity for added security and protection.

In turn, the goose reaps some benefits in terms of group security and companionship from the presence of ducks.  The loner Harlem Meer goose always roosts with the ducks in the evenings.

But, in a couple of weeks, (when regaining flight), this lonely goose will need to head out in search of his own kind again.  And though the going will be tough in terms of being eventually accepted into a new gaggle of geese, it will happen in time.  Geese are very good that way (regardless of the sex of the newcomer goose).

There is in fact, a "loner" goose who flew into the Boat Lake less than two weeks ago (probably escaping a USDA cull like the first goose at Harlem Meer.)  This goose always stays carefully around the perimeter of the existing goose family. 

Papa gander is very aware of the newcomer goose's presence but makes no attempt to chase her off or give her grief.  Papa is in fact, a very charitable goose who in the past, has accepted orphaned or widowed geese.  As long as they are respectful and adhere to the "rules" they will eventually be welcomed and embraced as part of the family.  But, first they have to accept the role of "low goose on the totem pole" and keep their respectful distance.  

All the loner geese observed in the past (and now) appear to understand and follow those rules very well.

Geese appear to have very long established patterns of behavior, family and flock order, respect and cooperation.

This is every bit as true on the ground as in the air.  It is one of the prime reasons for the high survival rates of Canada geese.

"High survival rates" that unfortunately in the human world stir, not admiration or emulation, but on the contrary, attempt to annihilate. 

Finally leaving the Boat Lake yesterday, I was both rejuvenated from having spent time with "my" geese and despaired for the knowledge of what is happening to their brethren elsewhere.

Images and memories of geese honking to reunite, splashing in the water to keep clean and slowly accepting orphaned or widowed geese into their flocks suddenly juxtaposed with horrifying images from Jamaica Bay of terrorized and panicked geese imprisoned in crates, tumbling over each other and crying for release. 

"Who will lead us to safety out of here?  What have we done? We don't understand.  What are the rules here?"

But, of course there was no one to lead these geese to safety -- even their own brave and ever vigilant alpha ganders.

And rules of order have long fallen by the wayside.  There is only chaos now -- and doom at human hands.  

I was walking along the East Park Drive when suddenly thinking these things.

Those geese wanted to live, too.

They wanted to splash in the water, raise their young, establish their orders and strengthen their bonds.

They too, were looking to flying again in two weeks and seeking out their fall and gathering places prior to the winter migrations. 

But, none of it was to be.

Refuge:  "Shelter or safety from danger."

These several hundred geese, (like Papa) had carefully and skillfully sought out a place of seeming amenities and safety for the summer molt.

But, the danger turned out to be from within.   

How could the geese know that the location they chose to be vulnerable would use that vulnerability against them?   How could they know that a so-called "refuge" would turn out to be the ultimate betrayer of its own name?

Of course the hapless geese had no way of knowing any of that. They don't understand the new human rules that curse and condemn their very existence.

Suddenly tears of shame began to fill my eyes and stream down my face.  I stopped and raised my hands to cover my face so that others would not see.  (They will think me nuts.)

But, not to worry.

The hundreds of people running beside me had eyes fixed on the road ahead and saw nothing. 

But, at the Reservoir, a Canada goose is already flying.

I may be the only one to see and appreciate the significance of that.

But, I am grateful. -- PCA

                           


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When Geese Cry -- Jamaica Bay Wildlife "Refuge," a Wildlife Graveyard

Jamaica Bay Wildlife "Refuge" Canada Geese jammed into crates and sent to violent, unjustified death today.  (Photo: Goosewatch,NYC)

I have spent thousands of hours experiencing the joy, whimsy and majesty of the Canada geese. I have heard goslings make cute little googling, chirping sounds when staying close to their parents.  I have heard geese make all kinds of honking communications, whether announcing take offs, landings, chasing off an intruder or calling to one another. 

But, I have never in all these thousands of hours, heard a goose cry.

That is, until today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nphtXMsdwNU&feature=youtu.be

The video above was taken by David Karopkin of GooseWatch, NYC while bravely photographing a USDA WS goose roundup that occurred this morning at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. (Other videos, photos and information below:

 (27) GooseWatch NYC.)

So far, the goose massacre has been reported in The New York Times, The Daily News and a couple of smaller media outlets: 

Annual Goose Roundup Under Way in Jamaica Bay - NYTimes.com  (Please comment to this and all articles.)

But, it needs much more.

The fact that a goose carnage would occur at a national "Wildlife Refuge" is the final assault and betrayal of animals of which our species has a long and sordid history.

That a park ranger would laugh and joke while the geese are struggling and crying in the crammed crates is to the shame and disgrace of our entire species.

And that these pitiful few families of geese could not find safe sanctuary at a specific place designated as such and that still another beach front and park is wiped clean of existing wildlife is to stand as the ultimate graveyard of human folly and barbarity.  

When do we finally say, "Enough is enough"?  When do we finally draw line on the atrocities and violence we continually allow and perpetrate upon the planet's other animals?

Please post comment to the Jamaica Bay Wildlife "Refuge" FB page.  They have no business referring to themselves as any kind of "sanctuary" or safe haven for wildlife.  They are rather, a lure and deadly trap to wildlife oblivion.  

(110) Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge  

One cannot help but wonder what might have been going through the panicked geese's heads while climbing and tumbling over each other in the crates?  --  These geese who so devote their entire lives to protecting their mates, their goslings and their flocks?  How many hours did they have to endure this terror, degradation and torture before ultimately arriving to their violent deaths?

I have never felt so utterly and completely ashamed of my species.

So many thousands of hours rejoicing in these animals, but when their hour of doom came at the hands of my own species, I was powerless to save or even help them.

So many hours of hearing their complex language of honks, calls and chirps -- the calls of the Canada geese.  

But, I had never heard a goose cry  -- until today.

And nearby, their assassins laughed.   -- PCA

                                                    




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