CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — The Parks and Recreation Director of Chillicothe, Bill Bonner, announced today that the city has partnered with a certified geese management company to deter the rising population of Canadian geese in Yoctangee Park.
According to city officials, the exponential growth in the waterfowl population has resulted in many issues related to cleanliness, aggressive behavior, and injury to the waterfowl. Experts say that unmanaged geese can also spread disease, force out, injure, and/or kill native wildlife. Yoctangee Lake is currently unable to handle this increase in the waterfowl population, and deterring non-native waterfowl over time will have a positive impact on the health of the lake.
The deterrent program will be on site regularly from March through August and will utilize various techniques such as border collies, sound repellents, and other methods. The public may see these deterrent activities during their visits to the park, but they are advised not to interfere in the process.
Director Bonner stated, “Yoctangee Park is the city’s gem, but it has become home to an unmanageable number of Canadian geese over recent years. This multi-year deterrent program will help restore the cleanliness and enjoyability to the park, especially in the area immediately around Yoctangee Lake.”
The city said they want visitors to the park to be aware of intermittent deterrent activities and to respect the process. Border collies will be used to disrupt the geese, forcing them to find a different and safer property to nest and eat. These dogs can distinguish between geese and ducks, maintaining the native duck population while alleviating the nuisance of the Canadian Goose population.