Frequency of Pooping
A hungry goose can consume up to 4 pounds of grass every day. This leads to high amounts of poop. Geese can poop as much as once every 12 minutes. Because they poop this often, they can leave up to 2 pounds of poop each day! What does this mean for your property? It means that if you have multiple geese inhabiting it (if you have one, you have many), then those numbers start to add up quickly. Even if you have a small number of geese, 2 pounds a day will be an eyesore on your property as well as a health hazard. In some parts of the country, entire beaches have been shut down because the amount of geese poop has caused high levels of E. coli in the water. This illustrates the need for proper geese control by a local company with many years of experience.
Diseases in Geese Poop
With up to 2 pounds of geese poop accumulating on your property every day, the likelihood that diseases may be present increases the longer you wait to implement geese control methods. There are several bacteria and viruses that are commonly associated with Canadian Geese. One of the main ways those diseases travel is through poop.
Bacteria: Canadian Geese that take up residence on Martha’s Vineyard area may carry parasites with them that can harm humans. These come in the form of chlamydiosis, E. coli, Listeria, Pasteurella multocida, and Salmonella. E. coli is temperature-dependent, which means that it flourishes during the warmer months (summer on Martha’s Vineyard). While E. coli can be serious, the likelihood of being affected by it is low unless you are directly dealing with geese poop.
Viruses: Foul plague, or avian influenza, is one type of virus that Canadian Geese can carry. During an outbreak of H5N1 in 2004, geese were confirmed to be part of the group that can carry this type of virus. While these viruses are rare, scientists are still researching ways to avoid these viruses in the future.
Pond Pooping
If there is a pond or another body of water on your property, geese poop may greatly affect its cleanliness. Because a goose can poop up to 28 times a day, your water can easily become a hazardous area. Phosphorous and Nitrogen are both in geese poop and when they come into contact with bodies of water, it can lead to eutrophication. Eutrophication is a naturally occurring process, but the introduction of geese poop into this process will speed it up and cause negative side effects. Algae and weeds grow more quickly, which leads to a depletion of oxygen. This chain reaction can cause damage to the aquatic environment and even kill fish.
Ponds at Risk
Your pond is meant to be enjoyed. The outdoors are a place to enjoy time with family, escape from the busy world, and cool off during hot summer months. Protecting it from geese is of utmost importance. It only takes 1 goose on a 1-acre pond to overload it with Phosphorous. Once too much Phosphorous is introduced, weeds and algae will overgrow. Having a geese control plan in place can help maintain your pond as an enjoyable place for you.
How to Protect Yourself and Others
Knowing how to avoid the risks that geese poop poses will increase your chances of avoiding bacteria and viruses.
Avoid Geese Poop: The simplest way to shield yourself from disease is to avoid geese poop. If you have no choice but to come into contact with feces, be sure to wear protective gloves and wash your hands after you are done. If you have children that you fear may have come into contact with geese poop, wash their hands immediately. Because children (and adults) tend to put their fingers near their mouths and around their face, proper washing is a must.
Clean Your Shoes: Tracking geese poop around on your shoes is an easy way to spread any bacteria that is in poop. If you have pets that have been around geese, make sure to clean their paws/feet as well! This will ensure that you are not carrying geese poop into your home.
Hire Geese Control Experts: This is where we come in! We are the Humane & Eco-Friendly expert geese control on Martha’s Vineyard. Contact us today to learn more.