Tuesday, July 2, 2013

When Geese Cry -- Jamaica Bay Wildlife "Refuge," a Wildlife Graveyard

Jamaica Bay Wildlife "Refuge" Canada Geese jammed into crates and sent to violent, unjustified death today.  (Photo: Goosewatch,NYC)
I have spent thousands of hours experiencing the joy, whimsy and majesty of the Canada geese. I have heard goslings make cute little googling, chirping sounds when staying close to their parents.  I have heard geese make all kinds of honking communications, whether announcing take offs, landings, chasing off an intruder or calling to one another. 

But, I have never in all these thousands of hours, heard a goose cry.

That is, until today:

The video above was taken by David Karopkin of GooseWatch, NYC while bravely photographing a USDA WS goose roundup that occurred this morning at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. (Other videos, photos and information below:

So far, the goose massacre has been reported in The New York Times, The Daily News and a couple of smaller media outlets: 

Annual Goose Roundup Under Way in Jamaica Bay - NYTimes.com  (Please comment to this and all articles.)

But, it needs much more.

The fact that a goose carnage would occur at a national "Wildlife Refuge" is the final assault and betrayal of animals of which our species has a long and sordid history.

That a park ranger would laugh and joke while the geese are struggling and crying in the crammed crates is to the shame and disgrace of our entire species.

And that these pitiful few families of geese could not find safe sanctuary at a specific place designated as such and that still another beach front and park is wiped clean of existing wildlife is to stand as the ultimate graveyard of human folly and barbarity.  

When do we finally say, "Enough is enough"?  When do we finally draw line on the atrocities and violence we continually allow and perpetrate upon the planet's other animals?

Please post comment to the Jamaica Bay Wildlife "Refuge" FB page.  They have no business referring to themselves as any kind of "sanctuary" or safe haven for wildlife.  They are rather, a lure and deadly trap to wildlife oblivion.  

One cannot help but wonder what might have been going through the panicked geese's heads while climbing and tumbling over each other in the crates?  --  These geese who so devote their entire lives to protecting their mates, their goslings and their flocks?  How many hours did they have to endure this terror, degradation and torture before ultimately arriving to their violent deaths?

I have never felt so utterly and completely ashamed of my species.

So many thousands of hours rejoicing in these animals, but when their hour of doom came at the hands of my own species, I was powerless to save or even help them.

So many hours of hearing their complex language of honks, calls and chirps -- the calls of the Canada geese.  

But, I had never heard a goose cry  -- until today.

And nearby, their assassins laughed.   -- PCA
                                                    




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