Central Saanich chooses killing geese over habitat modification

VICTORIA, Oct. 13, 2016 /CNW/ - Central Saanich appears to be ready to start killing potentially hundreds of geese after a recent announcement from the Mayor Ryan Windsor of its intent to reduce the population lethally, despite there being evidence based, non-lethal alternatives available.

Windsor was sent the Habitat Modification and Geese Manual developed by the Animal Alliance of Canada.  It outlines ways of mitigating human/geese conflict by modifying problem areas to be less welcoming for geese.

Jordan Reichert of the Animal Alliance Environment Voters stated, "Killing geese in these types of culls is not an effective or humane way of mitigating conflict with wildlife. Non-lethal alternatives exist and we have put them in front of the municipality, there is no excuse for this."

Last June in Parksville, 484 geese were killed after being taken to a tennis court and bolt-gunned in the head.  After the cull was complete the mayor reported that they did not know if they would have to do another one next year.

"There is an agenda across this province to kill wildlife first and ask questions later.  Nothing is being solved."

SOURCE Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada

Jordan Reichert - [email protected] / 250-216-0562