Things may come and things may go, but the barnacle geese are apparently here to stay
The majority of the birds live in the capital region, and their toilet-training leaves something to be desired
By Heli Saavalainen
Some animals in Finland - the poor old Saimaa ringed seal and the Siberian Flying squirrel come to mind - may be endangered species - but the population of the not-much-loved barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis) just keeps on growing, though the public might prefer otherwise.
At the last count this autumn, the total number of barnacle geese recorded in Finland was 14,200.
As many as 8,600 of them were counted in the Greater Helsinki area, where the goose population has increased by 12 per cent from last autumn. Large flocks have also been spotted in the Archipelago of Turku.
The nesting range of the barnacle goose covers the entire coastal area, stretching from the eastern border to the Bay of Bothnia.
The Finnish population of the birds has grown at a brisk pace over the entire 21st century, as the geese enjoy favourable conditions on the Baltic Sea islands, says Senior Researcher Markku Mikkola-Roos from the Finnish Environment Institute.
The barnacle goose is a wild bird that is protected by the Finnish Nature Conservation Act and by the European Council Directive on the conservation of wild birds.
Consequently, it is prohibited to deliberately kill this bird species.
At the same time, there is enough food available. Basically, these arctic birds are no fools: they recognise that they have more favourable conditions in the south than up in tundra of the north, which is why they tend to remain down here on the coast.
Another factor increasing the population is that in the south the geese are able to produce larger numbers of goslings than in the tundra, resulting in one additional gosling per family on average.
Particularly in the Greater Helsinki area, the barnacle goose population has grown to such an extent that it has prompted a heated debate among residents on whether or not the (rather copious) droppings of these geese are harmful to parks and beaches.
Another issue that is frequently discussed is hunting.
According to Mikkola-Roos, hunting would not reduce the health and hygiene risks that the faeces of barnacle geese cause, as the lawns get dirty in the summer when the tame birds are eating in parks.
Barnacle geese are not well suited for hunting purposes, as it is prohibited to hunt them in the city centre when they have goslings.
Besides, they are to a large extent "urban birds", with all that this entails in terms of shotguns in built-up areas.
Attempts have been made to prevent the health and hygiene risks these birds represent to the environment.
The methods used for this purpose include cleaning, fences, and repellents.
Mikkola-Roos says that intimidation has also been found efficient.
For example in Helsinki, the city’s lifeguards have gone in the morning to chase away the birds from the public swimming beaches. The same trick has also helped in Turku’s Ruissalo.
Permitting hunting would require an amendment to the EU Directive on the conservation of wild birds. At present, the killing of barnacle geese is allowed only under an exceptional permit to be granted by a regional environment centre, if the birds cause serious damage and if it cannot be prevented in any other way.
So far, no such special permits have been granted.
Right now, barnacle geese are spreading on stubble fields across the coastal area.
In early October the birds are set to fly away, heading towards Southern Sweden and the North Sea.
As autumns have become warmer, some of these arctic birds have stayed in Finland for several weeks longer, while some of them nowadays even winter here.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 10.9.2009
Previously in HS International Edition:
Court drops charges against millionaire for shooting barnacle geese in Helsinki (24.8.2005)
The barnacle geese will soon be on their way... (26.10.2004)
Links:
Finnish Environment Institute
Barnacle goose (Wikipedia)
HELI SAAVALAINEN / Helsingin Sanomat
heli.saavalainen@hs.fi
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| 15.9.2009 - THIS WEEK |
Things may come and things may go, but the barnacle geese are apparently here to stay
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