Results of fall surveys by Service biologists showed that cackling Canada geese and Pacific white-fronted geese, both of which nest in southwest Alaska, increased by 10 percent and 28 percent, respectively, over the previous year.
"This could be Alaskas best wildlife news this year," said Walter O. Stieglitz, the Services Regional Director for Alaska. "Only a decade ago, the cackling Canada geese were declining so fast they were headed for the endangered species list. Now theyve completely turned around. For the white-fronts, we are now very near our management goal of increasing their population to 300,000."
Since 1984, when their populations were at their lowest, the number of cackling Canada geese has increased by more than 600 percent, from only 25,800 to 164,300 in 1993. The number of Pacific white-fronted geese has nearly tripled from their all-time low of 93,900 in 1985 to 275,100 in 1993.
Historically, both species were an important food source for rural Alaskans living subsistence lifes. When the birds began disappearing, the Service led an effort to develop a management plan built on a partnership between subsistence hunters in Alaska, sport hunters of west coast states, and those states governments. The partners agreed to drastically restrict hunting of white-fronted geese and stop all hunting of cackling Canada geese as part of intensive management efforts to help the species recover. Stieglitz credits these cooperative efforts of the federal government, the states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California, sport hunting and environmental groups, and Alaska Native organizations with making the recovery possible.
"We still have a ways to go, but this information tells me that the recovery of these geese is more than just a blip on the screen," said Stieglitz.
"Its like a Christmas present--not just for the geese, but also for hunters all along the Pacific flyway and rural Alaskans who have depended on these geese as a food source for generations. We may be seeing enough of these geese to relax hunting restrictions soon and allow for sustained harvest in the future."
The cackling Canada goose is one of several kinds of Canada goose, distinguished by its smaller size (about the size of a large duck), shorter bill, and its fast, high-pitched, "cackling" call. The much larger white-fronted goose has a speckled belly and a white band at the base of the bill. Both species nest in southwest Alaska, primarily on the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, and migrate in winter to West Coast states of Washington, Oregon, and California.
-FWS-
(Note to Editors: Photos, video, charts available)
Contact: Bruce Batten 786-3309 (TTY Available)
