After spending half a year flying around with an arrow in its rump, a Canada goose is now recovering at MARS, the Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society, in the Comox Valley.
Society president Warren Warttig says the bird is well on its way to recovery, and is behaving like a typical Canada goose. It may actually be female, despite being named “Wilson” after the volleyball in the film “Cast Away” by locals who first noticed it in Sechelt.
“Given the size it could be, and I guess stamina,” he says. “It tried to bite one of our caregivers’ noses off. At least, it got a hold of her for a second. They are very formidable.”
He says that’s why all caregivers wear personal protective equipment while interacting with rescued animals, and the society has multiple protocols in place to keep animals and workers safe.
He says if all goes well, it could be released to the wild next month.
The goose was shot with a training arrow near Squamish sometime last year, and evaded capture for months until it was captured January 14. Warttig says it’s fortunate it wasn’t an actual hunting arrow, which would have done more damage, but even still, the goose had infection and health issues when it was finally captured at a Squamish-area golf course with a net gun. The arrow was extracted by a veterinarian before the goose was taken to rehab on Vancouver Island.
Warttig says MARS took custody of the bird because it had space and staff available to meet its recovery needs. He says the centre has an agreement with other rescue centres to coordinate rescue animals to make sure they get the best, and most immediate, care.
