2 surviving gosling possibly offspring of geese found decapitated

The discovery of 14 dead geese in an industrial area has prompted a police probe after investigators determined the birds’ injuries were likely inflicted by a person and not another animal.

Police responded to a call at an address on Clayson Road north of Bartor Road and Highway 400 early Monday morning, after a passerby who works in the area made the grisly discovery.

“There were 14 dead geese and they had varying injuries which led to their death,” Const. Alyson Douglas Cook told CityNews. “Some were decapitated, some the wings were torn off, the legs were torn off and some just had broken necks and were left in piles.” She added that there’s “no question” it was a person or group of people who killed the geese.

The Toronto Wildlife Centre is currently caring for one injured survivor from the group that was attacked. It is suffering from broken ribs and a punctured lung.

Nathalie Karvonen, Executive Director of the Toronto Wildlife Centre, says the carcasses appear to be older goslings and they are still being examined to confirm their ages.

She says geese can have several gosling in their flock aside from their own offspring because they are “adoptable” — they often tend to add gosling from other parent geese to their own flock.

On Tuesday, CityNews reporter Nitish Bissonauth and cameraman Tony Fera discovered two such young gosling close to where the dead geese were found. Karvonen says it’s possible the two are from the same flock.

One of them appeared to be limping and the second one also appeared injured.

CityNews contacted the Toronto Wildlife Centre who sent two staff members to rescue them.

Staff members say it is possible the two gosling are related to or were adopted by the deceased geese as they appear to be orphaned, with no parent geese close by.

“They are orphans … they’re not old enough to be out on their own,” says Vicky Badham, education and outreach manager at Toronto Wildlife Centre. “They should definitely be with parents at this stage of their life.”

The goslings were taken to the centre to have full medical assessments and be treated for any possible injuries.

Toronto police are working together with the Canadian Wildlife Enforcement Directorate to find the person or persons responsible for the disturbing attack.

Police say the incident is alarming and are asking anyone with information to contact them.

Click through for photos of the gosling and their rescue below:

 

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With files from Nitish Bissonauth