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Take a look: A group of unrepentant undesirables are causing a riot near the shore of Rotorua Lake, stopping traffic and defecating on the trails.
The geese have moved away from the shore of the lake in Rotorua.
Photo: Ben Fraser / Rotorua Daily Post
A herd of about 11 geese, which generally congregate near the shore, have settled part-time near the corner of Lake Rd and Tūtānekai St, and a nearby business manager says there has been a “total lack of responsibility” for what to do with the birds.
However, the Rotorua Lakes Council says the geese may have “migrated” due to the reduction in the number of people on the Lakefront.
Ryan Gray, who works nearby, said geese crossed the road a lot and cars were forced to stop to run over them.
He said the feathered enemies had been “a source of entertainment” for most of the nearby workers for a couple of weeks.
“From my office window, I have seen them sit in front of the cars and not move, the cars whistle and swerve.”
He said it would be “lousy” if someone accidentally ran you over.
“I wonder if [the council] considered it with the lake shore [redevelopment]. “
The nearby business manager, Barry Mabey, had also seen the gang of birds standing on the road and defecating on the sidewalk.
He said he had contacted the Rotorua Lakes Council, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the Department of Conservation (DOC) about the problem and “neither wants to take responsibility.”
“It’s not the geese’s fault, it’s just [lakefront] development that has been going on. “
Mabey said the problem had been going on for about three weeks.
He had been working in his business for three years and the birds had always stayed on the lake shore until recently.
He believed it was a district council problem “while they are doing the development.”
“It is a total lack of responsibility.”
Mabey said the geese “have to go.”
The DOC’s senior adviser, Herb Christophers, said the department “never had and never will have” responsibility for the domestic geese, as they were not a native species.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council biosecurity manager Greg Corbett said common domestic geese, such as those on Lake Rd, were not classified as pests under the council’s regional pest management plan.
“Thus [the regional] The council has no stake in the control or management of the geese within the region. “
He said the lakeside redevelopment was the responsibility of the Rotorua Lakes Council and that the geese were located on the district council’s reserve lands and were in the best position to address the problem.
Blue Baths CEO Jo Romanes said she was not aware of any problems with the geese at the nearby Terrace Kitchen cafe, run by Blue Baths.
Rotorua Lakes Council Sports, Recreation and Environment Manager Rob Pitkethley said the council knew that the geese had “migrated” and had “caused some concern among businesses in the area.”
The council had advised companies to continually discourage birds from congregating in the area, he said.
“It is also important that the birds are not fed by people, since generally these types of birds will migrate to where there is food.
“A small number of people on the lake shore may have prompted the birds to move to a more populated area.”
Pitkethley said Infracore cleaned the pavements in the area every day as part of its regular cleaning program, and the council was monitoring the situation to see if cleaning needed to increase.
“We will also monitor the geese population and stay in contact with business owners in the area.”
When asked what planning was done to mitigate the effects of the lakeshore redevelopment on nearby wildlife, Pitkethley said that “any negative impacts on protected species, including kōura, native scaup and the Swans”.
Last week, Pitkethley said the lakefront remodel was “about halfway there.”
The project will cost $ 40 million, divided roughly in half between the Rotorua Lakes Council and the Provincial Growth Fund.
Local Democracy Reporting is a public interest news service supported by RNZ, the Association of News Publishers and NZ On Air.
