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Grey geese (Picture: Wikimedia Commons/Hopfenpflücker)
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Grey geese (Picture: Wikimedia Commons/Hopfenpflücker)
Friday, May 29, 2015 - 13:07
Animal party questions device that snaps goose necks instantly
The Wildlife Management Unit in Gelderland has hired a company to kill 1,600 geese in 7 Gelderland nature reserves. To do so the company will use a device designed to break the animal's neck. The Gelderland faction of the Partij voor de Dieren is distrustful of this device and has asked the provincial government for clarification.
The company hired is V&T Faunabeheer. According to the Gelderlander, no one in the Wildlife Management Unit has seen this device in operation and the company itself would not give an explanation on how the device works. Teun Achterkamp, secratary of the Wildlife Management Unit said that the device works with blocks sliding past each other. The goose's neck is laid down between the blocks and they break the neck. "Death is immediate. At least that is how the device was described to me." Achterkamp said to the newspaper.
The device will be used in 7 floodplains, where geese will be herded to the device. As this involves such a large group of birds, this device is expected to preform the task faster than a gun. Achterkamp also said that the device offers advantages from an occupational health and safety perspective - so far the geese's necks were wrung by hand.
The gray geese population has to be reduced by 37,500 animals in Gelderland this year. The province is paying 22 thousand euros for the killing of 1,600 geese.