|
|
Stop Killing Canada Geese (central Saanich)
posted on March 17, 2016
Dear Mayor and Councillors:
The Times Colonist Editorial did not provide all the relevant information to base a properly informed decision by your Council and residents. The hunting lobby started the problem decades ago when they bred Canada geese to get a local population for year-round killing. And if I recall correctly they were also investigated by the SPCA for debeaking birds for “canned hunts”. The birds couldn’t forage.
So will the hunting lobby achieve their goal to have public safety gun restrictions lifted for a longer execution period or will addling, leaving fake dead ones/naturally dead ones, planting cover crops (as done in Richmond) and other humane proven methods finally resolve another human/wildlife conflicts? And how safe is it to eat them? Are they contaminated with lead shot and other pollutants? Are they inspected for food safety for distribution to Food Banks?
In order to obtain any permit from the Canadian Wildlife Service under the Migratory Bird Act it must be proven that there is “damage” and all other methods have been tried and failed
They say “Prior to the issuance of Damage permit under section 25 or 26,Environment Canada - Canadian Wildlife Service looks at the overall are a specific Management Plan developed to address the wildlife issue and ensures that all feasible non-lethal means are being implemented in order to address the issue.
Damage Permits issued by Environment Canada's Canadian Wildlife Service strongly encourage the use of scaring and other preventive non-lethal measures to control Canada Geese. Once all non-lethal measures have been tried and have failed, lethal measures may be used.
Instead of hunting and “culling” Canada Geese there are numerous humane deterrents such as noise deterrent, herd dogs, addling eggs, cover crops, and other hazing methods. There are ways to manage geese non-lethally
The Canadian federal government does not kill geese to protect their fields at the research farm in Ottawa. They began using Border collies at this research farm in 2013 and used them again this year
Also, “In a continued effort to control the Canada Goose population in the Okanagan Valley, the Okanagan Valley Goose Management Program is about to begin its annual egg addling program. Over the past six years, this program has prevented the exponential increase of the non-migratory resident goose population that inhabits the valley all year long. (Press Release: Egg addling used to manage geese non-lethally)
Hunters have caused this problem. It started in the Vancouver lower mainland by Richard Trethewey and friends (DU, BC Wildlife Federation supporter))They bred migratory Canada Geese with domesticated ducks. Canada geese were never native to BC, they only flew through here on their migration. Canada geese did not live here until they were put here to build up a population for hunters.They wanted a year-round supply to kill.
Background Information
In the seventies Richard built facilities at Coniagas Ranch (Fraser Valley) to spearhead programs to reintroduce and enhance a number of waterfowl species back to the local area and around BC. Included were Canada geese, gadwalls, harlequin ducks, scaup, scoters, wood ducks and a project with sandhill cranes. Richard’s volunteer work with Ducks Unlimited has greatly enhanced
waterfowl habitat in British Columbia.
In the 1970s one of the families that built on property at Mill Lake set a small flock of domestic ducks, geese and a pair of black swans free on the lake. As they interbred with the wild birds that passed through on their seasonal migrations, fed as a popular pastime by area residents, their numbers
grew until they had become such a problem that the municipality was forced to take action. A bylawwas passed prohibiting feeding the ducks but when this had little impact, “settling” or shaking the eggs in the spring to kill the developing ducklings was implemented. Berry cannons in the spring
discourage visits by migratory flocks, thus keeping the parkland free of “duck muck.”
Ducks Unlimited, who got the gun restrictions lifted in Port Alberni without any public comment period, and the pro hunting lobby should be under the gun NOT Canada Geese! Killing will only bring other geese as seen with similar other attempts.Any person/s proposing such a massive slaughter must be responsible to provide scientific evidence that killing will resolve any issues AND NOT be an excuse to provide a year round hunting party.
In Respect For All Life,
Peter Hamilton
Lifeforce Founding Director
(604)649-5258
lifeforcesociety@hotmail.com
Email Mayor and Councillors at municipalhall@csaanich.ca
|
| |
| |
|
|
