06/08/01

Coalition asks MDC to withdraw from Canada goose kill

State doesn't meet permit requirements

The Coalition asked the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to halt its planned killing of Canada Geese because the state cannot meet the criteria listed in the permit issued by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

The permit states that the MDC is authorized to kill up up to 2,500 Canada Geese per year to "protect human health and safety and to prevent damage to personal property, including agricultural crops."

The MDC admitted in its application to the US Fish and Wildlife Service for a permit that there was no human health hazard . . . only the "perception" of human health hazards by the public.

Their application for a permit to kill Canada geese states: "While we continue to stress that no human health risk has been tied to the goose feces, it has been difficult to change the public perception that there is risk from Enteritis coli bacteria because of the obvious, poor water quality and periodic closure of beaches, swimming pools, parks and lawns because of high E. Coli concentrations. (page 4)" Further, a major new study from the National Wildlife Health Center showed no human health hazard from Canada geese.

Airports already have permits and procedures to handle animals that are in or around airports. There is no scientific evidence that killing Canada geese in the general area would have an impact on airport safety. Furthermore, if the airports were to have zero tolerance for Canada geese, the government would have to completely wipe out the Arctic migratory goose population.

David Bowen, Manager of Airport Operations, KC International Airport, told the Coalition that he was unaware that the Kansas City airport is being held out as reason for roundups. He didn't even know about them. He stated that they did have a big problem there but have brought it under control through non-lethal techniques using USDA Wildlife Services as consultants on their non-lethal program. They kill geese only as last resort. He likes non-lethal control and says they are held out as a model around country. They only have periodic problems with migrants in air space during migration season (i.e., not the "residents").

The documentation of damage to personal property is conducted by the US Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services (Animal Damage Control). Wildlife Services does not investigate these claims, only reports them. Hence many of the agricultural damage reports may be false or exaggerated.