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Vancouver opts to launch cull to reduce Canada geese populations in city parks
Not doing anything could lead to populations upwards of 10,000 by end of decade, city told
May 10, 2023 By Turf & Rec
The Vancouver Parks Board will implement a cull to address the city’s growing population of Canada geese.
The board had considered less drastic options, but voted Monday to kill some adult birds as part of its population-reduction strategy. Park Board Commissioner Marie-Claire Howard said that if nothing is done, the Canada goose population could soar to 10,000 by the end of the decade. It’s estimated there are about 2,000 Canada geese currently making their home in the city.
Howard said she’s unsure of what method should be used in the cull. The Animal Alliance of Canada has taken exception to culls, saying that the uncertainty of how the birds should be killed equates to a lack of awareness of a cull’s consequences.
Vancouver Coun. Pete Fry, an advocate for non-lethal means of controlling geese populations, has tabled a motion for creating more bird-friendly habitats within the city.
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