Goslings Getting Trapped And Dying Inside Pylons Near The Tower Bridge
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — There's a deadly trap for wildlife next to the Tower Bridge.
Wildlife rescuers are concerned about geese laying eggs inside the pylons that help support the bridge. When those babies hatch, they don't survive. And now, there's a push for a solution.
"It's absolute death for these goslings," said Allyson Seconds, a wildlife activist in Sacramento.
The Canada geese that call the river delta home are building nests two feet down inside the pylons.
"The geese think it's a great place to lay their eggs because it seems so safe and no one can get to them," Seconds said.
Seconds said when the goslings hatch they're too small to jump out of the pylons. And even if they could, they'd fall to their death.
"It's sad because it is preventable," she said.
So, CBS13 asked, who would be responsible for helping the nesting geese at Tower Bridge? We found out Caltrans does maintenance on the bridge, but not the pylons where the geese nest. That job falls to the city of Sacramento.
A spokesperson said they will not remove the geese unless they show signs of distress and they're exploring possible long-term solutions.
"Even though all the goslings are going to die, they will come back next year and will do it again," Seconds said.
At many other waterways in the Sacramento region, caps have been installed on top of pylons. These prevent the geese from nesting or even sitting on them.
Rescuers call it a simple solution to make Sacramento's River Delta safe for all creatures.
"Ultimately it is their home. We are visiting their home. So we really should care and we should do better," Seconds said.