Canadian city struggles to deal with 20,000 geese

In order to control the uncontrolled growing population of geese, the Vancouver city government is considering killing about 150 - 200 geese per year.

Canadian city struggles to deal with 20,000 geese — Wild geese thrive in Vancouver. Video: *CBC*

The Vancouver Park Board (VPB) has adopted a new Canada goose management plan that includes the culling of hundreds of geese each year, Phys.org reported on May 17. The animals were introduced to Vancouver in the late 1960s for hunting and other purposes. The population has grown from an initial 100 to more than 20,000 due to abundant grass and water, fewer natural predators such as eagles and coyotes, and hunting restrictions. The overpopulation has caused problems for the city and its residents, leading to increased emergency calls.

According to the study, geese eat important vegetation in the Fraser River estuary. It is an important habitat for young salmon and helps protect the land from erosion. When geese numbers increase, trees no longer have a chance to grow back. "The main impacts of geese include damage to infrastructure and sensitive ecosystems such as shorelines and native vegetation. High densities of droppings cover beaches, walkways and lawns, affecting the use of green spaces throughout the city," the VPB report said.

According to officials, current goose control methods, which focus on sterilizing goose nests and replacing eggs, are not effective enough due to high costs and difficult access to nests. The city is proposing to reduce the number of geese through culling, aiming to stabilize the population over 5-10 years. The culling would require a permit from the Canadian Wildlife Service. The VPB report did not specify the number of geese that would be killed each year, but suggested it would be between 150 and 200.

An Khang (According to Phys.org/Global News )

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