Monday, June 15, 2009

Humane Society rejects goose gassing

From the Humane Society of the United States:

The best and most lasting solution to secure the safety of air travelers as well as preserve wildlife is to reduce the attractiveness of airport-vicinity open space to animals such as waterfowl and to limit access to other creatures.

Studies have shown that the answer to improving safety lies not in repeated removal of wildlife, be they deer or Canada geese or any of the variety of species of hawks and other birds often targeted. Instead, The Humane Society of the United States implores officials to follow a more sensible and effective path: making airport areas less desirable for birds and barring access for terrestrial species such as deer with fences.

Without such measures, killing wildlife becomes an endless and expensive undertaking that almost never accomplishes the goal of keeping animals and aircraft separated. By now, airport and civic officials should recognize that when dealing with plentiful animals, others of the species fill voids created if the local habitat remains inviting.

Canada geese, in particular, can be successfully managed with nonlethal techniques including hazing, aversive conditioning, egg addling and landscape management. In short, geese are not attracted to places that are not attractive – and that simple approach should guide airport area managers. Such an approach was proposed for New York City and unfortunately rejected.


From 10000 Birds:

Of course, the Canada Goose population in the region is estimated to be at least 20-25,000, so the city will be removing less than ten percent of the area’s resident geese and another 25,000 or so migrate in or through every fall (to say nothing of Snow Geese and Brant). It seems like a waste of cash and time (and many people will, I am sure, be upset to see geese being captured to be gassed).

And from the Save the Geese Project:

There will be an organized protest of various animal rights groups including Friends of Animals on Tuesday, June 16th from 12:00 to 2:00pm at the Port Authority Headquarters - 225 Park Avenue South (between 18th & 19th St).

If you can make it, please come to show your support for the geese! Thank you!


There's also a petition you may sign.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Geese are not attracted to places that are not attractive .

QUICK DELETE THIS POST BEFOR BENEPE AND THE MAYOR READ THAT.
They will crap-condo every pond, wetland and park outside Manhatten.

Anonymous said...

How about the idiots in Congress quit letting the FAA and NTSB do anything they want with flightpaths, saftey an airplaine engine specifications.

Turbins can be screened and birdproof, it just cost 2% extra fuel above 200MPH.
I broken turbine blade at 100,000 RPM can take out the whole plane and 2 city blocks.
If the French (Airbus) is a lazymans piece of equipment that shouldnt be flying above big citys

If a small nuke went off in Ohio the EMP with crash the computers operating the flight control surfaces. There is no direct linkages to fly the plane in a total power failure or computer crash

Every Airbus would fall uncontrolled straight out of the sky.

Snake Plissskin said...

Seems that the Humane Society needs a donation from the Bloomberg Foundation.

Worked with NORAL and the 'women problem,' right?

Anonymous said...

bloomberg is a disgrace

Anonymous said...

The problem is that geese have wings and can fly from place to place. It may not be that bad an idea to thin the population but without modifying the environment so that it is less attractive additional geese will fly in from other areas as prime feeding and breeding ground is freed up for their use.

Anonymous said...

Somebody ought to cook Bloomberg's goose (heh, heh, heh)!

Anonymous said...

You can cook him at the polls this November.

Any recipe will do...I mean a vote for any other candidate than Mike will be an improvement.

But I urge you all to VOTE WISELY!

It's still our democracy folks.

Let's not hand it over to a pompous dictator for another term!