Canada geese Hamilton Lake multiple plus a pukeko in background

The

Canada goose The Canada goose (''Branta canadensis''), or Canadian goose, is a large wild goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America, and it is o ...

(''Branta canadensis'') was introduced to

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

as a

game bird Galliformes is an order of heavy-bodied ground-feeding birds that includes turkeys, chickens, quail, and other landfowl. Gallinaceous birds, as they are called, are important in their ecosystems as seed dispersers and predators, and are often ...

in 1905. They became problematic because of damage they cause to pastures and crops.

History

Canada geese were introduced as a game bird into New Zealand in 1905. They were protected under the Wildlife Act of 1953 and the population was managed by

Fish and Game New Zealand Fish & Game New Zealand is the collective brand name of 12 regional fish and game councils and the New Zealand Fish and Game Council which administer sports fishing and gamebird resources in New Zealand (apart from within the Taupo Fishing Distric ...

who culled excessive bird numbers. The number of birds increased and by 1996 they had reached an estimated population of 40,000 in the

South Island The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman ...

. In 2011 the government removed the protection status allowing anyone to kill the birds. In the lead-up to 2011, farmers felt that not enough was being done to control the population. They lobbied the government to have the designation changed so landowners could manage birds on their own properties. The then-conservation minister,

Kate Wilkinson Kate Wilkinson (October 25, 1916 – February 9, 1993) was an American stage, film and television actress. Career She is best known to TV audiences for her roles as Viola Stapleton in the CBS soap opera ''Guiding Light'', a role she played ...

, changed its status, putting the birds in the same bracket as sparrows and pigeons. Fish and Game councils lost the authority to manage the species, and requirements for a shooting permit were dropped. An analysis of options prepared by

Department of Conservation An environmental ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for the environment and/or natural resources. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of the Environment ...

(DOC) considered that changing the status of Canada geese from 'Schedule 1' of the Wildlife Act 1953 (game birds) to 'Schedule 5' (not protected) would provide the best match against the overall objectives of a) ensuring landowners and managers do not bear the unacceptable costs from Canada goose impacts, b) ensure that Canada geese do not pose an unacceptable risk to aviation safety, and c) maximizing recreational hunting opportunities (subject to (a) and (b) being met). Fish and Game and hunters opposed the change, labeling the move 'a costly own goal' and later 'one of the most bizarre government decisions in the history of managed gamebird hunting in New Zealand'. Controversy about management has dated from at least 2006 when it was reported that farmers wanted lower numbers and Fish & Game wanted more financial support from farmers to support control efforts.

Effects

Canada geese are often seen in pastures and in the

braided river A braided river, or braided channel, consists of a network of river channels separated by small, often temporary, islands called braid bars or, in English usage, ''aits'' or ''eyots''. Braided streams tend to occur in rivers with high sediment l ...

valleys of the South Island and damage to pastures was reported as early as 1925. They affect pastures by competing for food with the farmed animals and by leaving droppings. The birds may also be responsible for some damage to crops.

References

External links

Game birds - Canada geese
at Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand *{{commons-cat-inline, Branta canadensis in New Zealand
New Zealand Birds Online: The digital encyclopedia of New Zealand birds
managed by Birds New Zealand, the

and

Te Papa The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is New Zealand's national museum and is located in Wellington. ''Te Papa Tongarewa'' translates literally to "container of treasures" or in full "container of treasured things and people that spring fr ...

*Department of Conservation Te Papa Atauwhai
Change to protection status of Canada geese.
Invasive animal species in New Zealand Introduced birds Branta

History

Effects

See also

References

Further reading

External links