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Goosebuster Drone Could Solve Worcester's Geese Problem, Councilor Says

WORCESTER (CBS) – Canada geese are everywhere in Worcester - crowding beaches, parks and blocking traffic.

"They poop everywhere! They poop on the grass, the picnic areas.  They poop on the beach in the sand where kids play," City Councilor Gary Rosen told WBZ-TV.

"The geese are really taking over in this country.  They are increasing their population by 30 percent per year.  That's huge," Rosen said.

Efforts to remove them in the past have failed, so Rosen thinks a drone could be the solution.

The Goosebuster dives down inches above the ground and water, not to harm the geese, but to shoo them away.

Steve Wambolt of Ottawa, Canada created the Goosebuster.

"It's basically been designed and customed for the specific purpose of getting geese to think that it's a predator," Wambolt told WBZ.

Goosebuster
The goosebuster. (Photo credit: Steve Wambolt Owner/Operator Goosebuster)

The drone scares the geese by using various sounds from their known predators.

The goal is to relocate them to another area where people don't gather.

Rosen plans to recommend to the city manager they either buy the Goosebuster or have students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute create their own goose-shooing drone.

"I hope it won't be anything that would be costly to the taxpayers and we would have this drone for all of our parks, playgrounds and beaches," Rosen said.

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