My wife and I have been watching the three goslings at the eastern pond since they were born a few months ago. When they were very small they would cut across the footpath to eat the grass, while their mother waited inside the fence by the pond. Dogs would occasionally come running toward them but they'd always scamper back inside the fence before the dogs could get them.
Recently they've gotten too big to get through the fence, so the park rangers bring them grass to feed on. We saw a ranger feeding the goslings earlier this week, but there were only two goslings. He said a dog had slipped through the fence and attacked the gosling, tearing up its side. He didn't know if it was going to be okay or not. It had been taken somewhere for medical care.
Recently they've gotten too big to get through the fence, so the park rangers bring them grass to feed on. We saw a ranger feeding the goslings earlier this week, but there were only two goslings. He said a dog had slipped through the fence and attacked the gosling, tearing up its side. He didn't know if it was going to be okay or not. It had been taken somewhere for medical care.
He told us that dogs get into the pond and attack the birds all the time, and there's very little the rangers can do -- to prevent it or respond after the fact. He sounded extremely frustrated by the whole thing.
I am pleased to say that this information is absolute rubbish! I have no idea why a Ranger should tell you this completely WRONG information!
ReplyDeleteI arranged to get the Gosling picked up and taken to a Wildlife Bird Sanctuary so I do know about this little Gosling. I arranged for this Gosling to be collected and looked after, as the park people had no idea there was even a bird with a poorly wing! despite the Manager looking. In fact I am told that all that would happen is that they would call the RSPCA and they would kill the bird as it is not an English bird, and that the Park has no responsibility to look after this bird.
I had previously been over myself on the Sunday to attempt to catch him but they were all on the island. The rescuer had his waders and went over to the island and got him on the Monday - he WAS NOT attacked by a dog!
He had got "Angel Wing" which is a condition that they are born with, but would not have been seen until the wing was moved.
The Gosling is doing well, and was not ill other than the Angel Wing.