Hundreds of Canada Geese Killed at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge; More Slaughter Planned at Hempstead Lake State Park

On Tuesday, July 3, hundreds of Canada geese were round up for slaughter at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, curiously named in light of this massacre.  This slaughter follows the slaughter of a dozen geese in Inwood and countless geese across Long Island, and is the second time in two years that such slaughter has occurred at the “refuge.” 

Proponents of the slaughter say it is needed to prevent collisions with aircraft at JFK, however, flight experts like Ken Paskar, pilot and President of Friends of La Guardia Airport, argue that slaughter is not needed and the City of New York is to blame.  In reality, less than 1% of flight collisions are a result of birds, and most are not a result of the Canada geese who are being targeted.  Additionally, the slaughters of birds in Prospect Park and locations far east on Long Island, which are far from any flight paths, cast doubt on the credibility of this explanation. 

Though the lives of hundreds of birds have been lost, the lives of many more are still to be decided.  Rumors are that birds at Rockville Centre’s Hempstead Lake State Park are also on the USDA’s kill list. 

Long Island Orchestrating for Nature (LION), a Long Island-based animal advocacy group that recently worked with the Town of North Hempstead to cease their plans of slaughtering 600 geese, asks that the public please keep an eye out for any suspicious activities and if one is able, patrol the area, emailing them at info@humanelongisland.org if the USDA arrives.  If this occasion does arise, please document all you can through photography and videography. 

In the meantime, LION asks the public to call their elected officials and the National Park Service about what happened yesterday, and share their view that a wildlife refuge is supposed to be just that, not a killing field. 

National Park Services Deputy Superintendent Suzanne McCarthy: 917-731-1997

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge: 718-354 4602

Mayor Bloomberg: 212-788-3000

Senator Gillibrand: 212-688-6262

Governor Cuomo: 518-474-8390

Additionally, please call the New York State Parks Department and the Port Authority to ensure this slaughter is not replicated again at Hempstead Lake:

New York State Parks, Long Island Division: 631-669-1000

Hempstead Lake State Park: 516-766-1029

Port Authority of NY and NJ: 212-435-3008

LION thanks you for your immediate action!