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But, since geese will not leave their families and flock mates (even if still able to fly), it is presumed that the geese we are seeing now in community parks will stay put for next six weeks or so.
Their now useless wings do not allow them the freedom and escape of flight.
That is bad news for those geese who have chosen to molt in supposedly "safe" locations that are instead on the USDA WS hit list for 2013.
Of course we in New York City are not granted the luxury of being informed exactly where or when WS roundups will occur as people in many other communities are. Though citizens living in the NYC area pay some of the highest taxes of the entire country, we are apparently granted fewer rights to know and community notifications.
Rather, we learn of goose massacres in New York City after the fact.
We know (via the clandestine goose killing contract between NYC and USDA WS that runs through 2014) that goose killings will absolutely occur. We just don't know where or when.
Putting aside the sentiments of an old Dion and the Bemonts song, there is nothing romantic about knowing something bad will occur, but not given the respect of specifics.
"Those who have nothing to hide, hide nothing."
City officials and the USDA have said in the past that they don't announce locations and dates of NYC goose roundups because, "People showing up to protest would stress out the geese."
They obviously know that what they are doing is wrong on many levels as well as unpopular with many folks, but they don't care and rather, seek to hide.
As for the pretense of caring about "stress on the geese," that is laughable considering the geese are being rounded up for extermination. (USDA's word, not mine.)
Once again, some of us in NYC have to be worried and vigilant about the park geese we personally see and know. Once again, some of us will get up with the crack of dawn in order to rush to parks and bear witness if necessary to a potential goose roundup. And once again, none of us can take anything for granted -- even in parks (like Central Park) that have active goose hazing and egg addling programs that have kept resident park goose numbers very low.
It makes one wonder about "government to, for and by the people"?
The people of New York City never voted for goose massacres and nor are most even aware they will occur as the topic has been mostly ignored by the press or poorly and scantily reported. There has never been political discussion of the ethics or even the effectiveness of goose "exterminations." It is a "non-issue" that has widely been swept under the rug of public awareness and consciousness.
Currently, we have approximately 30 geese in all of Central Park. These are comprised of geese who have previously hatched in Central Park and/or regularly used the location for molting. It is not a high number of geese for a park that is comprised of 843 acres. But, even these 30 or so pitiful geese cannot rest assured that they are "safe." (USDA WS has, for example, rounded up as few as 8 geese from some locations in the past.)
"And so it seems we have stood before.......Some things that happen for the first time seem to be happening again......"
Call it, deja vu or simply reliving nightmares.
The nightmare of Prospect Park and dozens of other New York City parks (including a so-called, "national wildlife refuge") revisited. -- Parks and sanctuaries that have become sites of wildlife massacres over the past few years instead of the peaceful retreats they were once originally intended.
"But, who knows where or when?"
The people of NYC have right to know exactly where and when goose massacres are due to occur in our community parks and wildlife sanctuaries. The people have right to know government intentions and actions planned behind our backs and with none of our input.
And the people should have voice and rights to protest when necessary.
Real life (and death) is not a romantic song. -- PCA
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6 comments:
I think this is a brutal and cruel thing what they are doing to the geese...not just in NYC or NJ, but all over. The actions of the USDA and others just infuriate me. Why can't these geese be left alone? They are not hurting anyone or anything! And they are now sitting targets for these roundups when they can't fly, leave their babies or mates! How cruel is that??? These roundups just disgust me. As these people know, there are humane ways of controlling the geese population w/o brutally killing them. God help the geese from these so called humans!
With so much hurt in the world these days, it boggles my mind that the USDA and Secretary of the Interior continue to slaughter the peaceful geese, as well as the wild mustangs -- both of whom were here BEFORE man and 'development'. Stop the senseless slaughter of God's creatures! God made animals BEFORE he made man!! Thank you for keeping us informed on the situation -- as revolting as the situation is. Where is the MEDIA now??? If I didn't read about the geese slaughter here or on FB I would never have known about it!! Can't we ALL get along????
Well...this is just awful. I wish I could split myself into a thousand pieces and be there beside these geese and defend each and every one of them. These cruel people will get what’s coming to them in time…I’m certain. Hold on to your hats bad boys!!!
Man's inhumanity to those lovely, peaceful animals is heartbreaking and painful. The human species is far more dangerous than a family of geese enjoying a perfect summer morning. Animal cruelty is a horrendous quality that some humans possess and many individuals close their eyes to it. The animals that are slaughtered do not know why they are being killed. How sad they leave this earth with terror, pain and suffering.
Thank you, Grandma Marilyn. Eloqently stated and tragically, too true.
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