Anne-Katrin Titze says the Canada Geese in Brooklyn are not getting a fair trial.

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Target

Target, a heroic Canada Goose survived a crossbow arrow attack only to be gassed and killed by federal agents July 8 in Prospect Park. Picture by Ed Bahlman.


Jonathan Franzen’s reporting of illegal hunting of songbirds in the Mediterranean, Emptying the Skies, published in the New Yorker this past summer, is a warning for us to wake up and speak out against any more killings of our urban park wildlife.

A crisis is occurring right in front of us in Brooklyn with policies effectively and euphemistically stating they are going to be “Emptying Your Parks” of bird life.

Each year tens of thousands of visitors come to Prospect Park Lake in Brooklyn, New York, to enjoy the wildlife. Many are families with small children who marvel at the Mute Swans, Canada Geese, Mallards and other waterfowl playing along the watercourse. Parents stop to explain to the children what they are seeing is nature’s relationship in an urban landscape.

We who live in New York City have an obligation and a right to keep this unique experience a possibility for future visitors. In the summer of 2010 the trust was broken. Prospect Park became the site of the city’s largest known animal abuse controversy in a public park.

Beaky

Beaky, the lake's recognized mascot, was injured by a barbed fishing hook, lost the upper beak and was also gassed and killed July 8 by federal agents. Picture by Susan Yuen.

The violence perpetrated on resident bird life has done a great deal of harm to the association between families and their city. The continuous arrogance of those who permitted the killings to occur, when they like to play god and choose which birds are desirable for Prospect Park, is profane. It is troubling how well the new “Canada Goose Management Plan” fits in with the killings of the entire population of the resident Canada Geese on July 8, 2010.

It was announced November 17 that the managers of the plan considered hiring Border Collies to harass the geese in May and June, the time when their young, obviously helpless and flightless goslings are born.

Where do the Parks Department, the Prospect Park Alliance and the Mayor’s office think they are going to chase the Canada Geese away to? To be killed somewhere else to ease their collective conscience this time?

The air safety argument does not fly anymore; magically, now, geese are no longer a threat. The curtain has been pulled back to reveal a carousel of legitimizations after the fact. The policy has been: Shoot first – ask questions later, like the bad guys in a Hollywood western. “Do not forsake me, oh my Darling.”


Anne-Katrin Titze, who teaches literature at Hunter, is a 2010 Brooklyn Community Foundation Green Award finalist, and she spoke at the October 4 United Nations World Habitat Forum on Urban Wildlife. She compiled the New York State DEC waterfowl count for Prospect Park and is a licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator.




Related stories:

Officials Ponder Gentler Ways to Handle Geese

Brooklyn Paper: Executioners sing! New documents reveal full extent of park gossicide

UN World Habitat Day 2010 Forum in New York City

Mass Murder in Prospect Park

Activist Who Teaches at Hunter Nominated for a Green Award