RICHMOND, Va. -- The City of Richmond and Carolina Waterfowl Rescue will remove 100 domestic, non-migrating geese from Byrd Park on Saturday. The geese will be taken to Carolina Waterfowl Rescue's land, a "safe haven," in Charlotte, North Carolina.
"The goal of the adoption is to improve the health and safety of the park and its wildlife," Tamara Jenkins, a spokesperson for Richmond's Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, wrote in an email.
Karen Day, who lives near Byrd Park, said the geese have called the lake home since the 1950s. She and her friends take care of the birds.
“My dad brought me over here. He was a farmer and taught me to properly feed animals,” Day said.
However, she’s witnessed families not following guidance by the city regarding the proper diet for the geese.
"While residents and visitors enjoy feeding the geese, this tradition has resulted in harm to the domestic geese. A diet of human food causes deformities that harm geese and cause 'angel wing,' making it impossible to fly. The city also cited concerns about the Canadian geese never leaving the park,” according to a city spokesperson.
“This is their home. They’re domestic geese. To be taken from their home will be extremely traumatic to them,” Day explained.
Anne Marie McCartan, who’s lived near Byrd Park for eight years, led a neighborhood task force to determine how to better manage the geese.
“I’ve noticed it from day one. It bothered me since before we moved into the neighborhood. And it still bothers to me to this day,” she said. “Imagine if you didn’t have to step over all the goose droppings on the fields and the sidewalks.”
McCartan said it appears the city is treating the domestic geese like pets.
Representatives from the city, Richmond Audubon Society, Maymont Foundation, as well as members from Maymont, Carillon, and Byrd Park made up the task force.
"Providing a new, safe home for the domestic geese will allow them to recover and will enhance the condition of the lakes and paths for use by the public," Jenkins' email continued. "In addition, the adoption will contribute to addressing the algae problem in the parks lakes."
Jenkins said the city increased their signage around the park urging people not to feed bread to the geese.
Dr. Lesley Bulluck teaches and studies avian ecology at VCU’S Trani Center for Life Sciences.
“If you feed an animal something that’s not part of their diet, something high in calories and low in nutrients, it can lead to a lot of problems,” Bulluck explained.
The bread and the feces from the birds can create algae blooms in the lake.
“It’s not really good for the geese to be fed from humans,” Bulluck said. “I know I’ve observed young children wanting to feed the goose and getting attacked.”
However, Darius Uzzell, who drives to Byrd Park from Chesterfield, urged the city to keep the birds.
“I know the next two days I’m going to be out here. I’m going to fish at 7 o’clock and I’m going to be feeding the same food and correct food,” he stated.
