their parents nor can their parents recognize them and the goslings can become
easily mixed up and follow a different set of parents (Wormer).
Humans have had a strong effect on the population of the Canada Goose,
good and bad effects. Agricultural waste water kills many geese each year
another human waste that kills geese is when they ingest spent ammunition with
gravel, the geese die of lead poisoning and it is a very painful death and more
common than most people think (Wormer). Urban growth, industry and draining
land for farming contribute to the four hundred thousand acres of wetland lost
each year in the United States which has had a tremendous effect on some
waterfowl, however this does not directly effect the Canada Goose’s birth rate
because most Canada Geese breed far enough north that they are isolated from
progress (Breen). The disappearing of wetlands does effect them indirectly
though because they are used for resting and feeding along the migration route
and are important for safety (Breen). Nesting sites in the north aren’t totally
safe from humans though, the Exxon oil spill has damaged Canada Goose habitat
(Breen). Plans to dam the Yukon River could also ruin the nesting grounds for
over two hundred thousand Canada Geese (Breen).
The number of people who are trying to protect wetlands has become quite
large (Breen). The largest and best known group is probably Ducks Unlimited
Canada which was founded in 1937 and has over one-hundred thousand members most
of which are hunters (Breen). In 1973 it expanded into the United States which
now has over five-hundred and fifty thousand members also which are mostly
hunters and one year after in 1974 Ducks Unlimited de Mexico joined the other
two groups in wetland protection (Breen). Since their founding Ducks Unlimited
have raised nearly one half billion dollars ninety three percent of which has
been invested in projects to aid waterfowl such as the Canada Goose (Breen).
As long as the Canada Goose’s private northern breeding grounds are not
disturbed this magnificent bird should be with us a long time. For most people
the Canada Goose symbolizes autumn when we see them gracefully soaring through
the air to their warm winter home and they also symbolize spring time when they
come back from their winter home. The Canada Goose is a bird with dignity and
pride and is a bird that is loved by all who see and hear it.
Western Canada, moffiti68 000 Dusky Canada, occidentalis16 000
Vancouver Canada, fulva14 000 Todd’s Canada, interior/Atlantic Canada,
Canadensis1 000 000 Giant Canada, Maxima55 000 Cackling Canada, Minima
172 000 Aleutian Canada, leucopareiaremnant Taverner’s Canada, Taverneri
57 000 Lesser Canada, Parvipes/Richardson’s Canada, Hutchinsii300 000 Total
estimated population of Canada Geese1 682 000