Comments on: In Defense of Geese

By: Stamie

Stamie — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 23:48:53 +0000

The rats are are not here legally. If they are suspected of not belonging here and don’t have the appropriate paperwork, the NYPD should arrest them and haul them off to jail for deportation.

By: Ms. Inappropriate

Ms. Inappropriate — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 03:06:04 +0000

Down with humans! We cause more problems than any other species. Leave the damn pooping geese alone.

I do, however, really want someone to do something about the cockroaches in my basement.

By: William

William — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:00:14 +0000

There are many uninhabited islands that are infested with rats because of birds eggs. Most of them have rats because humans brought them there decimating bird populations. In the case of jamaica bay islands however the rats probably came from the mainland, where they were because of humans, and live off of the eggs. Which island specifically are you talking about?

By: William

William — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:53:02 +0000

I am not arguing with you that we shouldn’t feed the geese. I am just saying they aren’t the same thing. Geese have wings. Deb was saying that rats spread disease. There are plenty of differences.

Personally i think we will never be able to stop people from feeding the geese. I think in the city people are so ignorant of how to interact with nature, the novelty of being able to interact with it by feeding the geese fulfills a part of the psyche of urbanites that is so underfulfilled that they can’t resist.

As a result of not being able to get people to stop feeding the geese, people should understand that every once in a while we are going to have to get rid of the geese.

By: Rats on an Island

Rats on an Island — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:42:12 +0000

If rats really need humans, how can you explain an island in Jamaica bay, unihabited by humans, but full of thousands of rats?

By: J

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:27:58 +0000

“Rats have a symbiotic relationship with humans. If the humans disappeared, the rats would, if not disappear, certainly diminish in numbers. The geese are independent. If the humans disappeared, the geese would barely notice, except for the park ones who wait to be fed. They’d have to go looking for their own food.”

THIS IS EXACTLY THE PROBLEM! And why the Canada Geese in New York City *ARE* just like rats! They have (against their nature) become non-migratory because they have found a source of food and no predators! Like rats! If there were no humans, the geese, like the rats, would move on… errr… migrate!

By: William

William — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:07:42 +0000

As Deb states a pack of rats has never brought down a plane, but a single rat with bubonic fleas can easily bring a continent to its knees.

By: Running of the geese

Running of the geese — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:36:25 +0000

Come and boycott the annual Running of the Geese, where all men prove they’re macho and run with wild geese, risking getting goosed from the front and rear, men are not allowed to wear cups.

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:09:37 +0000

When was the last time a pack of rats brought a plane down?

By: Goose Steps

Goose Steps — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:05:10 +0000

They may not be rats, but they are definitely Nazis…I see them Goose Stepping all the time.