Managing Egyptian geese on the croplands of the Agulhas Plain, Western Cape, South Africa

• Published in: South African journal of wildlife research Vol. 31; no. 1; pp. 25 - 34
• Main Authors: Crowe, T.M., Mangnall, M.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Southern African Wildlife Management Association (SAWMA) 01.04.2001
• Subjects: Agriculture; Alopochen aegyptiacus; Cencus; Control; Damage prevetion; Field-technique; Food; Freshwater; Hunting; South Africa
• ISSN: 0379-4369

Both locally and internationally, there have been increasingly frequent complaints by farmers of damage to crops by thriving populations of geese. Various methods have been used to minimize this damage and alleviate the resulting financial loss. Most methods are ineffective in the absence of critical information on the demography and behaviour of geese and the magnitude of financial damage over the long term, or are prohibitively expensive. Barley and wheat farmers on the Agulhas Plain regard the Egyptian goose, Alopochen aegyptiacus, as a serious agricultural pest. By answering key questions about this species' biology, such as its population increase, spatial and temporal abundance, and financial impact on barley and wheat, recommendations are proposed for the management of the species so as to minimize damage to croplands.