Not even a month ago, city workers in Prospect Park were eagerly awaiting molting season so they could capture Sticky, the goose with a neck of rubber, and remove the arrow lodged in his throat. Shortly thereafter, though, Sticky eventually managed to remove the arrow himself, which he probably thought of as something of a small coup. Unfortunately, once molting season did arrive last week, city workers seized the opportunity to round up 400 geese in Prospect Park and gas them to death. They’ve been doing this routinely ever since a flock of rogue geese took down US Airways Flight 1549 in January of last year. Sticky’s celebrity was probably enough to save him — but now without his stick, how were the death squads to tell the difference between him and the legions of other, not-yet-anthropomorphized (and therefore eminently euthanizable) Canada geese? Sticky! Are you still out there? Sticky?? … sticky?
Officials Euthanize Nearly 400 Geese From Prospect Park [City Room/NYT]
