Countdown To Geese Slaughter On Rikers Island

On June 25, 2004 NYC Dept. of Correction (DOC) will slaughter 200-250 Canada geese living on Rikers Island. PLEASE SEND YOUR COMMENTS IMMEDIATELY--EVEN IF YOU DO NOT LIVE IN NEW YORK.

New York Daily News / Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Geese face doom to clear LaG path, BY LISA L. COLANGELO

Letters to the editor:
voicers@edit.nydailynews.com

*DISCLAIMER: The information in these letters is verified with the original source. I cannot assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information or for the consequences of its use.

*Kinship Circle cannot guarantee the validity of email addresses. During a campaign, recipients may change or disable their email addresses.

**IF YOU ARE A NEW YORK RESIDENT/TAXPAYER BE SURE TO STATE THIS IN YOUR COMMENTS.

SAMPLE LETTER FROM KINSHIP CIRCLE

SAMPLE LETTER FROM KINSHIP CIRCLE / http://www.kinshipcircle.org
6/16/04--Countdown To Geese Slaughter On Rikers Island
1 letter

New York Daily News / Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Geese face doom to clear LaG path, BY LISA L. COLANGELO

Letters to the editor:
voicers@edit.nydailynews.com

*DISCLAIMER: The information in these letters is verified with the original source. I cannot assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information or for the consequences of its use.

*Kinship Circle cannot guarantee the validity of email addresses. During a campaign, recipients may change or disable their email addresses.

**IF YOU ARE A NEW YORK RESIDENT/TAXPAYER BE SURE TO STATE THIS IN YOUR COMMENTS.

===============SAMPLE LETTER===============

Martin Horn, DOC Commissioner
New York City Department of Correction
60 Hudson St.
New York, NY, 10013
ph: 212-266-1212
email: mhorn@probation.nyc.gov
online form: http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/maildoc.html

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
ph: 212-788-3000; fax: 212-788-2460
email: mbloomberg@cityhall.nyc.gov
online form: http://nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html

Dear Mr. Horn and Mayor Bloomberg:

I am shocked to learn about the NYC Department of Correction's plan to slaughter an estimated 200-250 Canada geese living on Rikers Island on June 25, 2004. I understand USDA wildlife management specialists are under contract to net and kill the birds, who have been disproportionately linked with aircraft collisions at nearby LaGuardia Airport.

DOC, Port Authority and the USDA have quietly arranged the extermination without advisement from avian experts or animal protection organizations. I strongly oppose this plan and urge you to resolve geese conflicts in a more humane and reliable manner.

The facts don't seem to add up. Media reports describe 500 geese, yet a DOC official on Rikers confirms a maximum 200-250 birds. The Port Authority claims Canada geese are an imminent threat to public safety--even though there have only been 16 goose strikes in two decades.

Moreover, destroying geese is a quick fix that offers no enduring solution. When a significant sector of the flock is removed, new animals migrate in or the population rebounds due to an abundance of food and space. Will Rikers Island become a killing field for geese who return to the area year after year?

Please pursue non-violent means to reduce flock growth. I encourage you to review the successful use of combined methods such as egg addling, scare devices, repellents and habitat modification in Virginia, Maryland and other states.

Coexisting peacefully with wildlife requires diligence, creativity and an open mind. Please do not kill these majestic birds who bond in close-knit social groups and mate for life.

Thank you,