I'm not for killing any animals unnecessarly, but theres a huge problem with the geese in a lot of places... like around Toronto for instance.

Some reasons that the cull is necessary in some places --

- Over the years, people have been feeding the geese - so now, a lot don't migrate anymore. They camp out all year round. I remember when I was little (like 25 years ago *lol*), as a family we'd go to feed the 'ducks' (read: 3 mallards and like 50 geese) with old bread-butts, so I'm one of the contributors to the problem.

- Its not just in parks, or in lakes -- we have geese that live outside my work, and attack people trying to get into buildings, shopping centers, etc. while nesting as they get very hostile. These are large and agressive birds.

I've been attacked by geese before as one came down from the roof of my old building at me - not so much fun. My dads been attacked at his work, as he came around a building and got ambushed from behind -- he described it as being hit with a 2x4, and had quite the bruise later from it.

Some links on goose attacks -
http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/hunt/geese/
http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/g..._sutton_goosed

- The geese get run over on the roads, back up traffic, and injure themselves and people when accidents get caused -- ever see a group of geese trying to cross a major highway, or even a 4 lane roadway?

- They end up destroying parks as hundreds of them descend and kill all the grass, foul the ponds, rivers and small lakes to a point where fish and wildlife that depend on teh fish don't do so well. This is due to the rebound and overpopulation that they have now (they were endangered a while back i think, i'd have to look it up). They foul parks, sports fields and golf courses so badly that they are unusable due to the amount of feces they leave behind -- running to catch or kick a ball, and slipping and falling in poo is less than pleasant trust me.


Now, I have nothing against the geese being around in parks, urban areas etc., however -some- population control has become necessary due to the sheer numbers that live in such small areas.


EDIT: The second link i posted has a lot of good information (humourous in parts) about the reasons behind goose attacks and some of the outcomes.


.