(OK - US) Tulsa World editors think geese should be killed

[Snugglezzz at aol.com]

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This editorial appeared in the June 2, 2003 newspaper, by the Tulsa World editors.

"Flocks of fowl foul Oklahoma beaches"

Great gobs of goose grease!

The popular Salt Creek North beach on Lake Keystone has been closed because goose manure has raised the levels of E. coli bacteria to unsafe levels for swimmers.

Observers say about 50 tame Canada geese have homesteaded the Salt Creek beach. Each goose is said to drop 5 pounds of fecal matter per day. Let's see: 50 times 5 times 365 is -- a lot of poop.

Salt Creek is not the only body of water to be ruined for human use by overpopulation of geese or other waterfowl that have discovered Oklahoma.

The geese "invaded" the old Sant Springs lake built by the city's founder, Charles Page.  At first, a few geese were a novelty. But in a few short years, abundant feed, handy nesting areas, and a lack of natural enemies resulted in a huge population that all but stopped use of the lake.

The flock was trapped, their wings clipped, and those geese were relocated. Similar stories in this area abound.

What's to be done?  Well, the animal worshippers would howl, but how about turning a few hunters loose? For a time, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners would be a bit livelier and - presto - the goose grease problem would be solved.

Meanwhile, the geese have no intention of leaving Lake Keystone where they live in goose paradise.