Orkney Image Library

Geese

This poor shot was grabbed out of my car window in the Marwick area on 17 Sep 2012. Next day (yesterday) my attention was drawn to an item on STV Aberdeen & North news stating that a pilot cull of 5,500 wild geese was to be made this season in Orkney. Gail Churchill, SNH's Orkney operations manager is quoted as saying the figure of 5,500 is "very small in comparison with the large number of . . . geese taken each year in Orkney". Ms Churchill had immediately beforehand used the word 'taken' to mean 'shot'.
I'm in no position to argue the pros and cons of culling geese but I'm astounded to learn that the number of geese shot - presumably for 'sport' - in Orkney each year is so large that another 5,500 is really neither here nor there. If that's true, why bother with a cull? Couldn't the 'sport' shooters be persuaded to bang away that little bit harder - perhaps by offering cut-price cartridges, free hip-flask refills etc?
But can it be true? A figure that would make 5,500 seem 'very small' would have to be in the region of 50,000 or more. With dying geese raining from the skies in such numbers wouldn't one expect to hear more reports of injuries to humans, damage to vehicles etc? And what happens to all those thousands upon thousands of goose carcases? What, for that matter, do the cullers intend to do with their paltry 5,500? (That number could come close to putting one on every Orkney Christmas dinner-table, but there's really not much eating on a wild Greylag. Maybe goose-grease can be adapted to automotive usage.)

Related Sites: Milestone Community Church