Give geese a chance?

Up to140 grey geese are currently enjoying life on the shores of Lake Zug. Unfortunately, the Cantonal Office of Forestry and Wildlife (AWW) considers this number too high. Indeed, so does the Federal Office of the Environment (BAFU), and even Birdlife Zug supports a partial reduction in their numbers.

As Martin Ziegler of the AWW confirmed, there are plans to have this gaggle reduced to between 20 and 40, not least because of the damage they have caused to the reedbeds by the lake. It is on the western shores of the like, near Dersbach,  Zweiern and Freudenberg, that these geese have been responsible for up to two thirds of it disappearing in recent decades; it is the new shoots they love to eat.

Furthermore, local farmers have been complaining about the damage the birds do to areas where crops have been recently planted, nibbling through huge areas of square metres in just two to three days, not to mention the droppings left behind.
 
One farmer particularly affected is Richard Suter of Oberfreudenberg, who mentioned how between 50-100 geese make for his 50 hectares of land every day. “They eat everything and make such a mess, which means the grass affected becomes slightly toxic and therefore cannot be used as food for cows and other animals. Indeed, Suter knows only too well about this from the previous farmer. It is only understandable that he, along with other farmers, supports the canton in taking measures to reduce the size of the flock. “The thing is, these geese have no natural predators,” he said.
 
The way the canton plans to reduce the birds’ numbers is by removing eggs. “This is in the natural order of things,” said Suter, “as foxes and birds of prey also take them.” It was noted, too, how environmental groups support this method. Another way is for them to be shot; by law, up to 10% able to be taken out by this method. Measures to reduce stocks were undertaken five years ago, too, though not by shooting, as Suter confirmed that only one had been shot, and that was in 2010. What has to be remembered is that these birds live for quite a long time, so it is only years later that the effects of reduction are noticed. What also needs to be taken into consideration is that any legislation relating to reducing numbers is valid for five years only. Hence new regulations enacted now would be applicable until the end of 2023.

Speaking in her capacity as spokeswoman for Birdlife Zug, Maya von Dach said the organisation supported the measures to be undertaken by the canton. “We think that the most important thing is not necessarily protecting all birds, but to ensure their natural habitat is maintained. Native species must also be given a chance to survive, which means that the number of alien ones, such as these grey geese, must be controlled in a measured way,” she said.