In an effort to control the rapidly growing population of geese, the city government of Vancouver is considering culling approximately 150 to 200 geese per year.
Wild geese are thriving in Vancouver. (Video: CBC)
The Vancouver Park Board (VPB) has approved a new management plan for Canada geese, which includes the culling of hundreds of geese each year, as reported by Phys.org on May 17. This species was introduced to Vancouver in the late 1960s for hunting and various other activities. The population has surged from an initial 100 to over 20,000 due to ample grass and water, a lack of natural predators such as eagles and coyotes, and restrictive hunting regulations. The excessively large population of geese has caused numerous issues for the city and its residents, leading to an increase in emergency calls.
According to research findings, geese are significant herbivores in the Fraser River estuary. This area is crucial for juvenile salmon and helps protect land from erosion. As the goose population increases, native plant life has little chance to regenerate. “The primary impacts of geese include the destruction of 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 stated.
Authorities indicate that current goose control methods primarily focus on swapping eggs in nests for sterilization, which has proven to be ineffective due to high costs and the inaccessibility of many nests. The city government proposes to reduce the goose population through culling to stabilize the population over the next 5 to 10 years. Culling would require permits from the Canadian Wildlife Agency. The VPB report does not specify an exact number of geese to be culled each year, but the proposal estimates around 150 to 200.
