So in light of the almost doomed flight back in January that landed in the Hudson River, the city has planned to euthanize the geese population from New York City area airports. This probably should have been done before now, but better late than never. I'm sure some animal rights activists will be in a tizzy over it, but I'd rather get rid of these birds than have another disaster!
"Now it's war! Geese are going to need gas masks this summer, as a multi-agency task force plans to round up and euthanize 2,000 of the flying menaces around area airports, it was announced yesterday.
A massive, $100,000 plan by federal, city and Port Authority officials will start in the next few days and run through the end of July, with the hope of wiping out geese within five miles of Kennedy and La Guardia Airports.
It is aimed at preventing near-disasters like the bird strike that caused Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger to ditch US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River in January"
Read the article here
Yeah seriously? We have to kill the geese because they're just doing what's in their nature? Why can't we just capture them and free them elsewhere? Ugh...things like this get me so mad....I've become such an animal activist. I'm suprised no one from ASPCA or PETA aren't acting on this.
And from the ashes she rises.....
I'm suprised no one from ASPCA or PETA aren't acting on this.
They will be, I'm sure!
i mean, where do people get off thinking they can do this and it will be okay? to euthanize any amount of the geese population is plain wrong. there has to be a better way. this is sick.
EDIT: Read about more success with these fake coyotes here
Why dont they use Hawks?
Alot of airports use them and they work wonderful. I guess its mother natures pest control. Guaranteed you'll get rid of any pesty squirls, rats, birds and more I know some airports dont even use hawks but they use the hawks noies over loud speakers. My airport has hawks - it works
Predator hawk to patrol airport area
A four-foot predator hawk is set to patrol Owen Roberts Airport, culling the egrets responsible for aircraft strikes, replacing the shotguns and scare tactics that previously formed the chief defence of the runway.
* Enhancing a falconry program, which involves training birds of prey to scare off the geese or attack them.
They're planning on using that as a secondary defense... but I think a primary defense would be much more acceptable!
Well I think everyone knows my love for ducks and well geese fall into that area too (I really don't like them at all) however I agree this is totally wrong. I understand the reason behind removing the geese but they need to relocate them and not destroy them. I'm curious as to were the protesters and the PETA ppl are.
Philly
* Training airport supervisors as certified shotgun instructors, so they can shoot birds in "emergency" situations.
* Enhancing a falconry program, which involves training birds of prey to scare off the geese or attack them.
* Installing a new bird radar pilot program at JFK.
...these I can agree with. Not a massive geese hunt. They are a gaming bird, are they not? I mean are they planning to make ANY use of the carcasses? Or just useless killing?
Don't get me wrong... I don't want them to cause more deaths of people, but again... how many people have died from a goose incident? None I believe. Yes there was a near catastrophe. How many people have died in other plane related accidents? I would suspect hundreds of thousands... why not stop air travel? Wouldn't that be safe also?
Again... I'd bet there's another way to handle this.... Actually I know there is.... a quote from a site about dealing with Canadian Geese...
Geese utilize something called the trigeminal system which is similar to our sense of smell. A constituent of concord grapes has been found to be so unappealing to Canada geese that it actually seems to overwhelm them to the point that they are driven away from the treated environment. Despite its dramatic effect on bird infestation it has been used by the food and drug industry for over 40 years to flavor candy, sodas, gums, and drugs, is listed by the US FDA as "Generally Recognized As Safe" (GRAS), and is classified by the US EPA as "reduced risk".
Edit: PS- I'm still shocked these buggers can take flight
Do a little dance...