The cute Canada goose is a common wild bird in Vancouver and has been integrated into the urban environment created by humans.
Sometimes they live comfortably in parks, lakes and swamps, and sometimes break into reinforced concrete and become the focal point.
They will wander in the middle of the road, which is one of the important reasons for the delay of city buses.
They can also clash with humans and their pets, screaming, aiming and sprinting, flapping their wings, or pulling and biting with their mouths.
In scenic parks, they also flock in groups, eating and pulling, and beaches, sidewalks, sports fields that would have been suitable for outings, picnics, are colored with their excrement.
According to CBC, there are about 4.5 million geese in Canada as a whole, and more than 3,500 in Vancouver alone, and the number is still growing every year.
The growing population of Canada geese has had a negative impact on the local ecology and the health of nearby residents. Last year, Vancouver Parks characterized the "flooding" of Canada geese in Vancouver as an environmental problem that requires human intervention.
For a long time, the park department started with goose eggs, using a method called "addling" to control the number of chicks. This process requires two people to work together – one uses a pole to drive the Canada goose out of the nest, and the other quickly takes the eggs and replaces them with other eggs that have been treated, which are usually frozen and cannot hatch into geese.
However, this approach has had little effect. Yesterday, Vancouver Parks announced new "lethal clearance" measures will be implemented this spring.
The Canada Goose Management Plan states that the implementation of clearance operations requires trained experts and funding for meat processing. In the process, goose meat can be obtained. The duration of the plan to bear fruit can be shortened to 5-11 years.
Although the commission now plans to kill the geese to control their numbers, it needs permission from federal and provincial authorities before any action can be undertaken. In the meantime, the Park Service will continue to use a control scheme for goose eggs.
It is reported that the "Addling" egg control measures take 15-20 years to be effective, and the new goose killing program can shorten the time to 5-10 years.
In addition, Vancouver Parks is asking residents to report Canada goose nests and strictly follow wildlife feeding regulations to help control populations.
The committee said the proposed plan would cost up to $375,000, which would be applied to the City Council as part of the 2024 budget.
CBC yesterday interviewed several Vancouver residents who enjoy park life to find out what locals think of Canada geese. Although people say that Canada geese are sometimes annoying, not everyone supports killing these animals.
Netizens have also received mixed reviews of such measures. Some netizens even think that it is absurd to spend so much taxpayer money to create "fake goose eggs".
"Why waste thousands of taxpayers' money talking about something that can be solved by a few dollar bullets?"
Some netizens expressed their desire to try goose meat.
However, the proposed new measures do not mean that people can hunt geese at will. If you hurt a goose, you can be fined up to $1 million under the Migratory Birds Convention Act and face up to three years in prison.
What do you think about Canada Goose?