WASHINGTON – They tried border collies in Virginia. They tried a stuffed coyote in New Jersey. In fact, officials nationwide have tried just about everything to get rid of large flocks of Canada geese that move in, eat the grass and leave lots of unwanted poop.
Until now, geese foes have had to obtain permits from the government to kill the geese or destroy their nests and eggs, and that hasn’t been easy. But the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has issued a new rule making it easier for farmers, airports, landowners and public health officials to kill the geese without permits.
The new rule went into effect last week.
Animal rights activists say there’s got to be a better way to deal with the birds.
But people who consider the geese a nuisance are applauding the measure. Rep. Jim Saxton, R-N.J., who has been working to control the geese population for years, said, “This day has been a long time in coming.”
“Canada geese are larger and more aggressive than native waterfowl,” Saxton said. “They have upset the natural ecology of our waterways.”
The new rule includes several provisions, which now allow:
* Airports, public health officials and landowners to destroy nests and eggs without federal permits.
* Private and public airports to round up the birds for destruction without federal permits.
* Local governments to round up the birds if they threaten public health by congregating at reservoirs, athletic fields, parks and public beaches.
The new rule also allows states to establish August hunting seasons for the birds. The existing hunting season is Sept. 1 to March 10.
The Fish and Wildlife Service said the rule was prompted in response to “growing impacts from overabundant populations of resident Canada geese.” The agency said in the Atlantic Flyway, the resident Canada goose population has increased an average of 2 percent per year over the past four years and was estimated at 1.15 million this past spring.
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