Wednesday, August 27, 2003
|
Wednesday, August 27, 2003 |
Feds consider lifting restrictions on eliminating troublesome geeseBy J. FRANK
LYNCH
Geese, your goose is cooked. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is is considering giving state wildlife agencies more flexibility in controlling Canada goose populations, a problem Peachtree City experienced in early summer when nearly 100 of the meddlesome foul were rounded up from Picnic Park behind City Hall and shipped off. Under the plan, the federal agency would turn over the day-to-day decision making responsibility of dealing with booming geese populations, though not entirely. In the case of Peachtree City's goose drama, it would have meant the population of birds would have been removed or at least thinned much earlier if allowed to take up residence at all. "The geese that were taken from here had their wings clipped, so it would be impossible for them to return here in the next year or so, after which they will hopefully be acclimated to their new home south of Macon and not want to return here," said Randy Gaddo, leisure services director for Peachtree City. "Thereare other Canada geese still around, and I know that several homeowners associations have asked for contact information for the USDA people we had here. I am assuming that other private elimination efforts will result." Until now, local agencies were pretty much prohibited from doing anything that might threaten or injure the birds. Once considered at risk, they have in recent years begun reproducing in record numbers. Plus, this new generation of geese has forgotten how to migrate to Canada,instead choosing to spend year round down south, where ample water, food and friendly hand-outs have turned them into honking, obnoxious guests who just won't take a hint and leave. So the fish and wildelife service is considering some much stronger "hints." For example: Aggressive harassment. Nest destruction. Gosling and adult trapping and culling programs. Increased hunter harvest. Permission to take during a portion of the closed hunting season. Stricter control for the protection of airport safety, agriculture, and public health. The take of nests and eggs without permits. Presently, State Fish and Wildlife agencies or their authorized agents, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services division, need a Federal permit issued by the Service to control resident Canada geese. This rule would provide for opportunities to eliminate the need for most individual permits for resident Canada goose control activities. "We joke about it, but when these birds mass together in areas also frequented by humans, there is a very real threat to the health and/or safety of humans, especially young children," Gaddo said. "For that reason, I believe we need to have a full range of options available to address the problem. We would always try less aggressive measures first and only use the highest level of options as a last resort." Sending the Canada geese packing has had an unexpected, but pleasant, result in Peachtree City. "We are seeing more of the white domestic ducks and geese, as well as more mallards" in Picnic Park now, said Gaddo. "We surmise that the Canada geese chased off the domestic types and smaller mallards, and now that they are gone, the domestics and mallards have clear reign." Of course, it doesn't help that people still continue to feed the ducks right there at the picnic shelter and playground, Gaddo said. Feeding of wildlife is against city ordinances, and residents are asked to resist the temptation. Resident Canada geese stay in the same general area, and no evidence documents breeding between resident Canada geese and migratory Canada geese that nest in northern Canada and Alaska. The Service and the States estimate current resident Canada goose population at 3.2 million in the United States, about 30 percent to 35 percent above the number States believe to be acceptable based on their need to manage conflicts and problems caused by excessive numbers of resident Canada geese. Resident Canada goose populations will be monitored annually. The rapid rise of resident Canada goose populations has been attributed to a number of factors. Most resident Canada geese live in temperate climates with relatively stable breeding habitat conditions and low numbers of predators.They tolerate human and other disturbances, have a relative abundance of preferred habitat (such as mowed grass in urban/suburban areas), and fly relatively short distances for winter compared with other Canada goose populations. The virtual absence of waterfowl hunting in urban areas provides additional protection to those portions of the resident Canada goose population, wildlife officials point out.
|
||