Expert: Roger Lederer - 1/22/2008

Question
I would like to know where I can get info about wild geese on how they mate for life and that there is birth control available for them instead of hunting them to thin out the population.  I need to educate my brother who thinks geese are rodents and need to be killed to get rid of them since there are too many.  It makes me sick that the answer is to kill animals to thin out the population.  I would appreciate any info that I can share with him to let him know that these beautiful creatures do not need to be hunted down and the birds who loose their mate suffer with grief. Thank you for any info you can give me.
Colleen

Answer
Your brother is probably referring to Canada Geese, which some people consider a problem, and they can be. Here's a website that talks about various control methods: http://www.canadagoosemanagement.com/Services.html
Your brother appears to be one of those people who think nature needs to be controlled. What did deer or geese ever do without us? People like him shot coyotes and wolves and mountain lions and other predators that naturally controlled geese and then they complain that there are too many geese. I doubt you'll ever convince him of anything if he has that attitude, but I wish you luck.