Fake coyotes fooling the motorists, not the geese

Tag : Why Do Plants Have Seeds
HAMMOND, Ind. -
Phony coyotes set up to discourage ducks and geese from gobbling upseeds and fresh shoots from wetlands plants didn't fool the fowl,but humans were another matter. Hammond Port Authority DirectorMilan Kruszynski said his office has fielded several calls frompassing motorists who mistook the two-dimensional cutouts onislands in Wolf Lake for dogs.
"We've been getting calls from neighbors and people driving by,'There's a dog trapped on the island!'" Kruszynski said.
Kruszynski said he has also been contacted by People for theEthical Treatment of Animals and a city official who was taken outby boat to inspect the decoys. He didn't identify the official.
The decoys were placed on the islands beginning about two years agoby an Army Corps of Engineers contractor to help scare off ducksand geese that otherwise might harm wetlands plantings. The geesegenerally uncover the ruse within a few weeks, the Post-Tribune ofMerrillville reported Tuesday in a story on its Web site.
"The geese are very wary of them, then eventually they figure itout," said Jon Dittmar, a spokesman for contractor J.F. New."They're very striking when you first come upon them. I could seehow it would be for someone driving by at 70 miles per hour."
Meanwhile, the wetlands plants on the islands have reached thepoint where they can thrive without the decoys' protection, so thecoyotes soon will be removed, Dittmar said.
"They don't seem to be doing any good anymore and it appears theyare upsetting some people," he said.



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