OPINION: Food Lion Right to Protect Goose Eggs

OPINION: Food Lion Right to Protect Goose Eggs

Spring has sprung, and a popular grocery store has a rent free occupant in its parking lot.  The Food Lion on 38th North has a rather odd squatter: a Canadian Goose set up shop in the lot on March 21, according to WXFB.  This parking lot will have a visitor for 24-35 days as the goose incubates her eggs. This is a very good thing, as not only is it damaging for the goose to be annoyed or have its babies taken away, but geese are not nice to mess with when they’re nesting. 

According to the Federal Migratory Bird Act of 1918, it is illegal to harass or move a goose or nest without a permit or proper permission.  This act alone requires the Myrtle Beach police department section off the area around the nesting mother goose. 

Another reason to help the goose is that geese are pretty and amazing animals. Geese are surprisingly emotional animals, grieving for their lost loved ones.  Geese also remember people, making it likely that this mother goose will remember the police officers’ help. They keep grass down because of their grazing and they don’t generally bother people purposefully. 

While they do get in the way by slowly crossing the road or pooping everywhere, that’s just how they are.  Some find it an inconvenience, but think of the wildlife and how we’ve destroyed their homes.  They’re pretty cute when they’re not hissing, and so are their babies. Goslings are adorable and fluffy.  Wildlife needs to be protected. It’s the least we can do after destroying many ecosystems, such as the coral reefs and forests across the globe.

Some might say that blocking off a place in a busy parking lot is inconvenient and pointless, as geese are often seen as sort of pests.  However, as long as no one bothers the goose, the goose won’t bother them.

The Food Lion’s spring guest isn’t inconvenient, but just a mother bird trying to have her babies, and it’s good that the police and people are protecting the goose.