Egyptian goose attacked by dog off lead in Peckham park

[tfwsoll]

I wondered where the other parent was. I hope it recovers as it's been a real pleasure watching them over the past few months. I recently told someone whose dog went for the goslings that his dog shouldn't be off the lead. His answer was that the dog had never done it before but sadly it only takes one incident to maim or kill. We are extremely lucky to have open green spaces with an abundance of wildlife locally and dog owners should avoid areas where the wildfowl are breeding or keep them on a lead.

[Waseley]

It's good to have a sense of Ballance rather than talking of banning. No matter how good your regulations are, there will be some that don't follow by accident, ignorance or just don't care.

Tens of millions of birds are killed each year by drivers/cars and by cats. I doubt whether many are calling for bans on these.

It is sad news, but I think in previous years rats took the goslings, I'd start there

[mynamehere]

don't see any connection to dogs off lead because humans can't be arsed. But, yes more human led havoc:

UK:

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/gardening-for-wildlife/animal-deterrents/cats-and-garden-birds/are-cats-causing-bird-declines/

The most recent figures of how many creatures are killed by cats are from the Mammal Society. They estimate that cats in the UK catch up to 100 million prey items over spring and summer, of which 27 million are birds.

USA:

https://abcbirds.org/program/cats-indoors/cats-and-birds/

Cats and Birds: A Bad Combination

Outdoor domestic cats are a recognized threat to global biodiversity. Cats have contributed to the extinction of 63 species of birds, mammals, and reptiles in the wild and continue to adversely impact a wide variety of other species, including those at risk of extinction, such as Piping Plover.

The ecological dangers are so critical that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists domestic cats as one of the world?s worst non-native invasive species.

Cats leading cause of direct, human-caused bird mortality, © Vishnevskiy Vasily/Shutterstock

Cats #1 Threat to Birds

Predation by domestic cats is the number-one direct, human-caused threat to birds in the United States and Canada.

In the United States alone, outdoor cats kill approximately 2.4 billion birds every year. Although this number may seem unbelievable, it represents the combined impact of tens of millions of outdoor cats. Each outdoor cat plays a part.

[Angelina]

There are many perils, so it?s best to do what you can when you can.

Keep your dog on a lead around the pond or don?t go there with your dog. It?s not hard.

[egyptiangooserescuer]

Hi.

A short update about your Egyptian Goose. I?m a volunteer wildlife rescuer and I picked up your Egyptian goose on Friday night. He had a broken leg, but he is in good hands, and we hope to be able to return him to his family as soon as possible.

I?m sorry if that sounds a bit cloak and dagger, but the Egyptian Geese are considered an ?Invasive Alien Species?, and it is an offence to release them into the wild. In fact I broke the law by just transporting him to somewhere where he would be looked after rather than put to sleep.

I?m really glad that there are so many people who care about him.

[singalto]

Thank you for looking after him. I saw the rest of the family today and I?m sure they?ll be glad to get him back.

[Chocky]

Thank you so much for your actions, EgyptianGooseRescuer. And thanks for keeping us updated.

[heartblock]

Thank you EgyptianGooseRescuer, what a very kind person you are.

[Lebanums]

It clearly says round the lake that dogs should be kept on a short lead. I was fearful of this when the goslings had hatched. I did say to a few owners who had their dogs off leads to be mindful that there were goslings around, but I got a blank stare back.

[KidKruger]

In which case dogs should be banned from this area, at least for this period when young birds are emerging.

We have an example of serious injury to a bird where the owner not only didn?t help, but ran off.

That should be enough to demonstrate that wildlife there is subject to Russian Roulette as far as dogs go (or, as far as dog owners go).

[Angelina]

I completely agree

[singalto]

I agree. When I went to the lake on Sunday, most of the dogs were off the lead and one dog tried to get to the geese but was mercifully too big to get through the fence.

[tfwsoll]

That's great to hear. I know that Egyptian geese are considered an invasive species but didn't realise it was illegal to rescue them! Does the same go for Canada geese?

[Waseley]

I'd happily see Canada Geese, parakeets and grey squirels culled. Of course I am selective, these species do far more damage than Egyptian geese and we have adopted many species over the centuries.

[alex_b]

Lebanums Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It clearly says round the lake that dogs should be

> kept on a short lead. I was fearful of this when

> the goslings had hatched. I did say to a few

> owners who had their dogs off leads to be mindful

> that there were goslings around, but I got a blank

> stare back.

It?s the same in Sydenham Hill Woods, clearly stated at all entrances that dogs must be on a short lead March - September (bird nesting season) but universally ignored. I?ve stopped asking dog owners to follow the rules as they just ignore you or claim their dog is somehow fine to be off lead.

Of course since there is no enforcement anywhere it?s all a moot point.

[Lynne]

Don't waste your breath. Lebanums. According to their owners,no dog ever did anything wrong.

[Waseley]

Daft sweeping statement. There are many responsible dog owners.

[first mate]

Dogs do not have a moral system or sense of what is right or wrong; the problem is the humans that own them.

Lynne Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Don't waste your breath. Lebanums. According to

> their owners,no dog ever did anything wrong.

[first mate]

The council has all the legal tools it needs to enforce dogs on lead in certain areas of the park like footpaths, since PR is under PSPOs. I wonder why the don't?

alex_b Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Lebanums Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > It clearly says round the lake that dogs should

> be

> > kept on a short lead. I was fearful of this

> when

> > the goslings had hatched. I did say to a few

> > owners who had their dogs off leads to be

> mindful

> > that there were goslings around, but I got a

> blank

> > stare back.

> It?s the same in Sydenham Hill Woods, clearly

> stated at all entrances that dogs must be on a

> short lead March - September (bird nesting season)

> but universally ignored. I?ve stopped asking dog

> owners to follow the rules as they just ignore you

> or claim their dog is somehow fine to be off

> lead.

>

> Of course since there is no enforcement anywhere

> it?s all a moot point.

[hpsaucey]

Anyone know if there's any goosey update?

HP

[Chocky]

I was wondering if there was an update too.

Couldn't see the mother or goslings on the lake this Eve.

[tfwsoll]

The Egyptian goose family are still in the pond, minus the adult male.

[staplemeg]

Update on the adult male. He is recovering well but due to the nature of his injury (he will apparently always have gait abnormality) and because Egyptian geese are classed as an invasive species, he is now in a sanctuary and will not be released back into the wild. It?s the swan sanctuary in Shepperton: https://www.theswansanctuary.org.uk/

He will be well taken care of there but it?s very sad that we will not be reunited with his family.

[Mystic Mog]

That's good news he is recovering but sad he can't be reunited. I wish people would show more concern for wildlife. Thanks for the update.

[Sue]

It's great that he is recovering well, but that seems very odd that he can't be reunited with his family.

I get that it's an invasive species, but he was here already!

Is the issue that he might produce more goslings (well, father more goslings)?