Cape Barren goslings hatch
We are delighted to announce that four Cape Barren goslings have hatched at Martin Mere Wetland Centre. As a relatively new pairing at Martin Mere, these are the first goslings from this pair of geese, who will now have a lifelong bond.
We are delighted to announce that four Cape Barren goslings have hatched at Martin Mere Wetland Centre. As a relatively new pairing at Martin Mere, these are the first goslings from this pair of geese, who will now have a lifelong bond.
The new arrivals were exciting news for the Living Collections team as they have been waiting to see if this new pair would breed. Although Cape Barren geese are classified on the IUCN red list of ‘least concern’ species, it is challenging to get a well bonded pair to breed successfully.
Steve Dilworth, Assistant Grounds Manager says;
“This is exciting news for us as it is the first time this pair have bred. It’s brilliant that they have decided to form a bond and that they feel comfortable enough to breed, and to have four goslings successfully hatch is just incredible. We’re looking forward to watching the goslings grow.”
The Cape Barren goose is a large goose resident in southern Australia. The species is named because of Cape Barren Island, where species were first sighted by European explorers. The birds have a deep, pig-like grunt and therefore have the informal name ‘pig goose’. These bulky geese are almost all grey with pink and black feet, the gosling is strongly patterned black and white, like a humbug.
During this time of uncertainty, behind the scenes our work continues at the centre. A small team of experts continues to care for our animals and conservation remains at the heart of what we do. If you’re a member, your membership does so much more than help us run our Wetland Centres. Our conservation work protects wetlands, wildlife and people’s wellbeing all round the world. Keeping your membership going ensures we are here in the future to continue that work.
Although you may not be able to visit our wetland centre for now, over the coming weeks we will keep it virtually accessible to you via our website and social media feeds. We will provide you with updates from behind the scenes, and hints and tips on how you can support and connect with nature during these unusual times. Hopefully we’ll help fill some of the gap caused by the current restrictions.
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