The Great (Brak) geese debate
The debate surrounding the geese in Great Brak is one with two strong sides and great passion in both of them.
One side is for the geese staying in the area, while the other is concerned about how they affect the environment.
Mossel Bay Advertiser sent enquiries to various stakeholders, including the Mossel Bay Municipality, Cape Nature, the Great Brak Estuary Forum, BirdLife South Africa and the Garden Route SPCA, regarding the geese.
The discussion surrounding the geese is not a new one. On a previous occasion, the municipality responded to a concerned reader who had sent a letter to the paper.
In the letter, the reader mentioned both the geese and mallard ducks present in Great Brak.
The reader goes on to highlight environmental as well as species concerns that arise from these birds' presence.
In its response to that letter, the municipality noted it was aware of the concern and, through its Law Enforcement Department, had issued several notices to residents to desist from feeding the geese.
"According to the municipality's Environmental Department, so-called 'wild' domestic geese do not fit into any current legislation, which makes managing the issue challenging. They are not protected or defined within the Western Cape Nature Conservation Ordinance, governed by Cape Nature, nor do they fit into the listed alien invasive species of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment or National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEMBA)."
The municipality said mallard ducks and quakers (white pet ducks) are a greater concern, especially the mallards.
Hybridise
"The latter tend to hybridise with indigenous duck species and are extremely aggressive ducks.
"They are 'listed alien invasive species' and because they occur on local estuaries the municipality is then mandated to control them according to NEMBA."
The response from Cape Nature was similar.
Petro van Rhyn, Cape Nature's general manager for advocacy, said domestic geese lived long and were highly fertile.
"Females can lay multiple large clutches each year and breeding will be further stimulated by supplementary feeding by members of the public. "These geese are also quite large and aggressive.
The feral population will have negative impacts on wild waterfowl through competition for breeding, roosting and feeding sites. They also modify habitat by grazing and will impact water quality by adding to nutrient loads through faeces."
Aggressive
Van Rhyn went on to include the mallard ducks, saying they were aggressive, invasive aliens and likely the most threatening alien bird species in South Africa, already having devasted waterfowl populations in other countries.
"They pose a serious genetic threat to indigenous waterfowl. They can crossbreed with about 40 other species including yellowbilled duck, cape teal, cape shoveler and possibly African black duck, and the hybrid offspring are fertile.
"They also outcompete indigenous ducks for food, nesting and roosting sites. Feral mallards are classified as category 1b aliens, which means that, by law, they have to be eradicated.
"Cape Nature strongly supports the humane removal of the feral geese and mallard ducks at Great Brak estuary, possibly to a farm, where they can be kept under controlled conditions."
Safeguarding
The SPCA, in turn, said its primary mission was the safeguarding of all animals and that it understood both sides of this delicate equation.
"Geese, like many other species, face various challenges in the wild, including habitat loss, human interference and natural predators. We believe in proactive intervention when necessary, not to disrupt the natural order, but to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all of the animals affected.
"Rule number one at any SPCA is that we will never turn an animal in need away. Should the community come to the conclusion that the best option is to relocate the geese, the Garden Route SPCA offers a safe haven for the geese at our premises in Mossel Bay. From there, we will be in a position to ensure that the geese are rehomed to responsible owners who will ensure their welfare is paramount. Our adoption process will apply with strict home checks and follow-up inspections."
Elize Goosen, manager of the Mossel Bay SPCA, said the SPCA was there to offer guidance and support to the community.
"By working together, we believe we can assist with a solution to suit all parties, especially the geese."
The estuary forum and BirdLife referred the to the municipality and Cape Nature.