A disturbing Kelowna, B.C., incident involving baby geese that was caught on video has not only sparked outrage, but also calls for enforcement action against those responsible.
On Wednesday morning, seven goslings appeared to be forced from a fourth-storey balcony in the city.
The incident, caught on video, happened at the Madison building on the corner of Ellis Street and Doyle Avenue and shocked those who witnessed it.
“It was just horrific to see, really. Like, I can’t, I couldn’t believe it,” said Tyler Andreasen, who saw the baby geese falling. “I couldn’t believe my eyes.”
Kate Morgan owns Posh Jewelry on the ground floor of the building and came out after she heard commotion outside.
“It’s been devastating,” said an emotional Morgan. “It’s awful. I just, I don’t, I don’t understand how someone could do that.”
The video shows a group of men corralling the baby geese toward the ledge, one with a pool noodle, before they fell.
According to the B.C. Conservation Officer Service, five unharmed goslings were relocated to Okanagan Lake with two adult geese.
Bu two goslings were injured and taken to the Interior Wildlife Rehab Centre in Summerland.
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RCMP attended and told Global News they provided education to one of the men involved, who was a building employee.
Many say a warning is not enough.
“I think there should be consequences,” said Amy Ruth, who also witnessed the incident.
Federal laws protect Canada geese under the Migratory Birds Convention Act and any action involving the birds requires a permit.
“Any action that could harm, disturb, or remove the birds, their eggs, or their nests requires a federal permit. It is illegal to capture, injure, kill, or harass a migratory bird—or to disturb or destroy its eggs or nest—without permission,” stated Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).
ECCC added that it is aware of the incident but would not say whether an investigation or enforcement action is underway.
“This is something that is a shocking move that no one should ever do and I think everybody is calling for more justice,” Ruth said.
Global News has obtained a letter from the building’s management company to strata members about the incident.
In it, Associated Property Management (APM) stated the goslings were “assisted onto the ledge from where they jumped down to their parents.”
But APM also added the employee, “should not have intervened and this has been reviewed with him.”
Wildlife rehab officials say the first 48 hours are critical for recovery and add that so far the goslings are faring well.
“I hope they learn and really realize the magnitude of what they’ve done and think twice,” Andreasen said.
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