Nearly 250 geese have left their Western Springs nests for new homes in the north.
“We are delighted with the results”, says Auckland Council’s Head of Operational Management and Maintanence, Agnes McCormack.
“The population at Western Springs was unsustainable and to be able to re-home so many birds is a real success”.
The initial relocation occurred just before Christmas and despite an initial wild goose chase on the day, resulted in the re-homing of 90 birds. Those geese that remained may have been cackling at Christmas but Auckland Council had the last laugh with 147 geese moved to their new northern homes at the end of January.
“Our contractor, NZ Biosecurity Services, has done a fantastic job with all birds migrating to their new homes with little to no fuss”, says Agnes McCormack.
A gander around Western Springs shows that the park is recovering well and the remaining 15 geese will be managed to ensure an over-population doesn’t re-occur.
“It’s a real win. The geese are happy and there’s a huge reduction in the amount of faecal matter in the park, less grass damage, and a significant reduction in the need to clean the paths."
