Aviation regulators and service providers are in a constant battle to identify safety hazards and put mitigating factors in place to keep air travel safe. But, at what cost must this be is the question. The geese population in New York are being rounded up and slaughtered.
Aviation regulators and service providers are in a constant battle to identify safety hazards and put mitigating factors in place to keep air travel safe. But, at what cost must this be?
The well known incident on January 15, 2009 where a US Airways Airbus A320 struck some geese on takeoff from La Guardia has caused a declaration of war against the birds. Captain Sullenberger managed to ditch his aircraft in the Hudson river saving the lives of all passengers and crew, but the population of geese in New York are not so lucky.
Around 400 geese were rounded up in Prospect Park in Brooklyn and gassed to death in an attempt to keep aircraft flying over New York city safe. New York is home to about 250,000 geese and United States Department of Agriculture officials hope to bring the population down to 85,000. This means that around two thirds of the population would be killed.
Over the last 10 years, Canada geese were involved in 78 bird strikes in New York, resulting in more than $2 million in aircraft damage.
It must be remembered that these birds were here for millions of years and we are encroaching on their territory. I’d like to think that the proliferation of aviation is done in a way which lessens the impact on the environment. After all is said and done, both humans and birds are in the quest to survive.
I’m pretty sure that as custodians of the Earth, there are other ways we can solve this problem, ensuring safety for humans who take to the skies and the survival of the geese.
With that said, what are some of the alternative means of getting rid of the geese without resorting to the gas chamber?
Hi Wayne, I find this disturbing. I had no idea they gassed so many geese. I think they should focus on finding ways to help them migrate further away from airports. Who determines what a “safe” number of geese is and how did they come up with 85,000?
This is an interesting topic, thanks for the discussion.
Ileane @ Basic Blog Tips recently posted..Basics of Blog Feeds and FeedBurner
I’m not so sure how they arrived at 85,000 birds and what makes this a safe number. Relocation, contraception and whatever other means of controlling the population should be considered.
Wayne,
Thanks for sharing. I didn’t know that this was going on. It’s striking me as odd, since birds are simply doing what is natural, flying. With the technology that’s available, or could potentially be developed you’d think there would be a better compromise?
Moondancer recently posted..Three ways exercise can improve your health
We are the ones who have learnt to fly, invaded the birds space, now slaughtering them….how ironic.
You know this is really sad. It is such a shame that people actually thought it was a good idea to gas these geese. You are right in saying they have been here long before us and we are encroaching on their territory. I am shocked that I didn’t hear this before now as well. I think they need to get the Captain of airbus A320 to do something regarding awareness on this topic.
Shane Ryans recently posted..We’re running out of internet addresses
Thanks for your comments Shane. I\’m happy to hear that you too are a supporter of the birds. Slaughtering should not have been an option.
Wayne,
I think there has to be a better way. There are too many animals that have been sent to extinction due to humans. I don’t understand how they came to a number of what is safe. Birds were in the sky long before we were, so there has to be a happy medium.