6-Isaac Couling
Isaac Couling was a high-schooler participating in the Madison Tournament at the Wolf Creek
Golf Course when he suddenly encountered an angry goose. He was at the seventh hole when
an irked bird began to chase him, much to the surprise of the attending public. People
began taking pictures and videos of the strange situation. The seventh hole was located close
to a goose nest, but it wasn’t until Couling turned around to focus on his game that the
bird suddenly lunged at him. The student was actually tackled to the ground, and the goose
continued to attack Couling for several seconds. The teenager managed to get away with only
a few bruises and a hurt ego, surprised by how popular the photos of his encounter had
become. He laughed it off, however, and his coach remarked he would’ve preferred Couling’s
sudden fame to have come from a hole-in-one during the competition.
What is it?
The goose, belonging to the bird family Anatidae, isn’t a singular species of waterfowl as
many different types are known by this general name. There are three main categories. These
are the Anser, better known as the grey goose, the Branta, or black goose, and the Chen.
The latter encompasses several different species, including the white goose. Though all birds
under this category are known as goose, or geese in plural form, this term is properly
applied to the females of the species. The male bird is a gander, while the creature’s
offspring are known as goslings. When geese are flying close together, in a
group, they are called a plump, but on the ground, this name changes to gaggle. The goose
is a monogamous bird, living all-year round with a single mate. It only becomes territorial
during the egg-laying season, usually in spring. This is an anomaly among monogamous animals,
since they tend to be aggressively protective of their mate and the area they inhabit throughout
their lives.
5-Unnamed Ontario woman
An unnamed woman in Brampton was attempting to cross the parking lot leading to her workplace,
when an angry goose approached her menacingly. She noticed the bird getting close and tried
to walk around it, but it began chasing her. The woman’s panic seemed to encourage the
goose’s aggressive behavior, as the animal started following her with its wings wide
open. A nearby driver got close and attempted to rescue the scared woman. Even the large
vehicle didn’t dissuade the violent goose. It kept trying to peck at the woman, who jumped
into the car to get to safety. The goose kept trying to reach her, lunging at the open door
until the unnamed woman managed to close it. This is not the first report of aggressive
geese in Brampton, Ontario. The police have received several calls complaining of attacks.
This determined the authorities to set up two scarecrows to ward off the territorial
geese.
Where is it located?
The Anser genus comprises 11 different species. The largest known specimen is the grelag,
weighing as much as 9 pounds. These species all have certain traits in common, such as
pink or orange limbs, bills that can range from pink to black, and white under tail coverts.
The name Branta comes from the Old Norse word Brandgas, which can be translated as burnt
or black goose. This genus is distinguishable from all other geese species due to the black
or grey coloration of their legs and feet, as well as large areas of dark feathers around
their bodies. They’re usually smaller than other species of geese. The Eurasian Branta
geese prefer coastal areas, while the American and Pacific species prefer to migrate inland
during the winter. The Canadian goose is a particularly aggressive
waterfowl, belonging to the Branta genus. Though it's native to Canada, it has a prolific
population in the US as well. This bird is considered a pest and has caused a high amount
of fecal coliform on different beaches. The white geese belong to the genus Chen, and
are found in North America’s subarctic regions. They migrate south when the weather gets cold.
4-Willow Webb
Willow Webb, aged 87, was enjoying her morning walk in the park when she noticed nine geese
swimming in the nearby pond, at Dartmouth. She saw them moving closer to the shore, but
thought nothing of it. When she looked away, the wild birds suddenly lunged at her. Webb,
who used a walker, was tackled to the ground and, once down, the geese began pecking at
her violently. The elderly woman tried to kick them away, but it didn’t help. It wasn’t
until two passersby had come to her rescue that the wild geese finally scattered away.
Webb was rushed to the hospital. She required an operation, her arm set in a cast, and she
also suffered a hip injury. She ended up spending over two weeks in the hospital before being
discharged.
How will it kill you?
Geese tend to be highly aggressive when feeling threatened or irritated, both by other animals
and human beings. The first warning sign comes when the goose stands tall, spreading its
wings and hissing loudly. If this doesn’t work, it charges forward violently. Finally,
unless left alone, it’ll bite and use its powerful wings to attack. Because geese can’t
easily hide or camouflage, they naturally resort to aggression to keep themselves and
their offspring safe. The goose’s upper bill features a sharp
tip that can cause painful damage. By pinching its victim’s skin, and twisting its head,
pulling back, it can create a bruise and damage a muscle, in more severe cases. It’s sharp
enough to cut through a person’s skin. Its long, strong wings are excellent weapons as
well, and can cause painful bruises. The impact has been described as feeling as if you’re
being hit with a baton. Most goose related incidents result in minor or no injuries,
but that’s not always the case. Attacks by a single goose or a gaggle may lead to
broken bones, head trauma and even tendon strains or tears. Many of these injuries occur
when the person trying to avoid an attacking goose trips and falls.
3-A.J. Buttacavoli
A.J. Buttacavoli was walking through Heather Farm Park when he noticed a gaggle of geese
rushing towards him without any previous provocation. The geese in the area already had a bad reputation,
as several people had complained about their violent behavior. Buttacavoli said that it
seemed the three birds were coordinating their attack, and began charging at him even though
he’d tried to steer away. He attempted to make a quick escape, but tripped, hurting
his leg badly. Though Buttacavoli didn’t require medical attention, he did mention
being left with a pronounced limp. Since Canadian geese are considered an endangered species,
there is little that authorities can do to remove the animals from Walnut Creek's.
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How to survive?
When attacked by a goose, it’s not a good idea to run away. This will only encourage
the bird to chase and attack its victim’s legs from behind. Attacking it directly will
only lead to further aggression. The best course of action is to intimidate the geese
into backing away. Clapping loudly and stomping your feet against the ground, making yourself
as big as possible will usually dissuade a potential attack. This is only necessary when
directly confronted by a goose. It’s better to avoid making it feel threatened in the
first place. Avoid any loud or sudden movements when walking close to it, and keep children
or animals from approaching it. If you notice a nesting area, it’s best to leave or stay
as far away from the geese as possible. It’s common for a human being that was once attacked
by a goose to get targeted again and again. This is because of the way they react when
seeing the animal. Running away or cowering tends to encourage violent reactions whenever
the animal feels threatened.
2-Emergency landing
As the plane took off from Abbotsford, everything seemed to be going smoothly for Swoop Airlines’
flight 312. All of a sudden, however, passengers were informed by the captain that they would
be forced to make an emergency landing. Several passengers began tweeting and messaging loved
ones, describing a loud thudding sound and smoke in the cabin. Several geese had flown
too close to the plane, and were sucked in by the engines. There were no further incidents
and all passengers managed to de-board safely. The aircraft, however, had to be temporarily
taken out of service. That was far from the first time geese led to issues mid-air. In
2017, a goose flew right in the way of an Aeroflot plane. Though no one onboard was
hurt, the bird ripped a large hole through the front of the aircraft.
1- Columbus students under attack
Columbus Africentric Early College’s authorities were forced to cancel the middle school’s
track meet. This was due to the constant and aggressive attacks from a group of local geese.
They’d noticed a goose nest near the track, and several children had to run past it, at
which point they were intimidated by the aggressive birds. When a couple of teachers approached
the area to try and solve the issue, the geese became visibly agitated. The birds flew toward
the adults, attempting to attack and thus forcing them to leave the area. Since these
animals were protected, all the school could do was wait for the eggs to hatch and for
the birds to leave the area of their own accord. Until that happened, authorities were forced
to close down the running track, to keep students from being harmed.
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