Media release
8 July 2013

Geese have to go – can you help?

Auckland Council is looking for new homes for a gaggle of white Embden geese currently living at Tington Wetlands Reserve and Wattle Farm Ponds in Manurewa.

Council’s parks staff are hoping that bird-lovers with an appropriate property might come forward to re-home and take care of some of the birds.

Malcolm Page, Manager Local and Sports Parks South, says the site can no longer cope with this large flock of birds, which now numbers around 65, putting the health and wellbeing of the geese under threat.

“Embden geese are a domestic goose breed and we suspect they were abandoned on this site some years ago.

“With the flock now at around 65 birds, we are concerned that numbers will increase by 25% next breeding season if we don’t disperse the flock.

“Several times each day the birds cross Wattle Farm Road between Tington Wetland Reserve and Wattle Farm Ponds in search of food. We have had birds hit and killed on several occasions, making us concerned for both geese and drivers.

“This demonstrates the lack of nourishment available to them from the kikuyu grass on both sides of the road.

“Also, the geese are regularly being fed bread by the public which has contributed to wing deformities in younger birds, leaving them flightless,” he says.

Mr Page says that council has also sought advice from the SPCA, which is supportive of this approach.

If you can provide a new home for some geese please contact parks advisor Kristen Ross on kristen.ross@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. You will need to take 15-20 birds and demonstrate that you have a suitable new home for the geese. Ideally this will consist of a rural property or large section of land with a pond.

Auckland Council is looking to safely capture and re-home the geese in July prior to the next breeding season.

ENDS

© Scoop Media