The few geese living in Prospect Park are being chased around by collies.
"It takes dogged determination to chase geese out of Prospect Park, and that’s why park officials have hired three border collies to get the job done.
Collies Cleo, Spanky and Samantha will torment, harass and otherwise chase hundreds of geese out of the park in an effort to save their lives."In addition, their eggs are being addled (coated with corn oil at an early stage of development) to prevent them from hatching.
Nonetheless, a mother goose and her four babies were recently spotted enjoying the water near the Upper Pool.
Goslings Defy Prospect Park's Birth Control Effort
Last month, park workers found two nests and treated both of them, said Eugene Patron, spokesman for the alliance, a private group that operates the park jointly with the city.
Alas for the addlers.
Over the weekend [May 7th], four goslings from an addled nest on an island in the park’s Upper Pool were spotted paddling behind their mother.
Mayor Bloomberg writes:
Incidents like the emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 show us how important it is to keep geese from nesting near airport runways. Please know that we've already taken a number of non-lethal measures, including: public education to discourage feeding, the use of dogs for herding, pyrotechnics, bird deterrent wires and netting, and more. We've had some success, and we're now working with the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Wildlife Services to take additional steps to avoid serious accidents and ensure the safest possible conditions for New Yorkers and travelers alike.Sincerely,Michael R. Bloomberg
Mayor