Michigan kills Canada geese as Windsor, Ont. weighs non-lethal solutions

As Windsor, Ont. moves forward with a newly approved “goose management strategy” focused on non-lethal methods, Michigan has taken a different approach — implementing a policy to euthanize Canada geese that require removal from urban areas.

While Windsor’s plan, approved by City Council on Sept. 23, emphasizes habitat management, egg removal and hazing techniques, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) ended its 50-year practice of relocating geese in favour of what officials describe as “necessary” euthanization.

The DNR’s policy, enacted at the end of this past summer, follows years of public frustration and mounting health risks tied to Canada geese overpopulation.

In the past, geese in Michigan were relocated to state game areas. Now, due to health concerns such as avian influenza and a lack of suitable relocation sites, euthanization is viewed as the only viable option.

The DNR uses carbon dioxide (CO2) gassing to kill the geese, describing it as a humane method.

However, some animal advocates have raised concerns, saying geese may suffer during the process.

“People can be pretty cruel,” Larry Carsell, a waterfowl rescuer, told Detroit TV station WDIV.

He described the emotional toll of watching geese rounded up and separated.

“They’re all honking and everything... You can tell they’re upset — they have feelings. People don’t realize it, but they do,” he said.

In Michigan, the Canada goose population has surged from near extinction decades ago to more than 300,000 today.

The DNR aims to manage this population within a target range of 175,000 to 225,000, but urban areas without natural predators have contributed to an uncontrollable population surge.

Windsor has faced similar challenges, with reports of traffic accidents and trail disruptions caused by geese blocking pathways.

“Riverside Drive is becoming an absolute hazard,” Ward 6 councillor Jo-Anne Gignac said during a January meeting of council.

“These flocks of geese just walking out into the road, people slamming on their brakes and it’s a mess!”

While Windsor’s administration considered a cull, high costs and public opposition led to the development of alternative solutions.

“Their population can grow, there’s no natural predators,” said Andy Sarkisian, a resident of Lake Sherwood, about 45 minutes northwest of Detroit.

Communities like his have faced E. coli contamination from goose waste, leading to beach closures.

Instead of euthanization, Windsor’s strategy, set to start as a three-year pilot project in 2025 with an estimated cost of $450,000, includes techniques such as habitat modification and egg sterilization.

However, Michigan officials deemed these non-lethal measures insufficient, as geese kept returning to original capture sites after being relocated, and concerns over disease spread grew.

“We had to stop relocation,” Barbara Avers, a DNR waterfowl specialist, told WDIV.

“We didn’t want to potentially be spreading [avian influenza] throughout the state.”

Michigan’s DNR said it will donate the meat from geese that are euthanized to local food banks and food pantries.