Progressive Wednesday

A slimy way to control goose populations

I was a bit disturbed this week when reading the Buffalo News I came across this article. In an effort to decrease the number of Canada Geese in parks in Cheektowaga, a suburb of Buffalo, park employees are finding nests with eggs and oiling them, making it impossible for the chick inside to hatch. The Geese don't know that their eggs have been destroyed and continue the incubation. According to the article:

The oiling is done in three phases to catch eggs that are laid throughout the spring. Oiling the eggs does not attract the opposition that the town experienced in 2005 when it rounded up 106 geese and took them to a poultry processor.

When I did some research to find out how other areas handled their Goose problem, I realized that this is an issue all over the northern part of the country. In fact, it is such a large issue that there is even a Canada Goose Hall of Shame.  And yes, Cheektowaga is an inductee. It was given hall-of-shame status for the killing in 2005.

I fully understand the need for population control in public areas and some private areas such as golf courses. They're as loud as Merritt Island during lift-off. Plus, there is a health concern with “goose grease– and it can do some minor damage to the fairway or green (C'mon, it's a built-in excuse for missing that “gimme– two footer). And oiling the eggs is considered more humane than slaughter, but it is still way down on the Hall of Shame's list of humane methods of population control.

The most humane and effective method was recently developed by private entrepreneur, Thomas Wells. He invented a floating (for ponds) or freestanding solar-powered flashing LED light that he calls “Away With Geese.– The device has proven to be 100% effective, according to the Hall of Shame website, and is completely humane.

So please join me writing a letter to the editor of the Buffalo News or the local paper of any other city on the Hall's list. It's important to make it known that there is a better, more humane, and more progressive way to deal with this problem.