The geese of Watson Park are not giving up without a fight.
The Dunedin City Council says it has now shot 10 geese at Watson Park, two more than were in the original gaggle, and at least one bird is still occupying the park.
Council parks operations manager Hamish Black said the geese were shot by an exterminator using a .22-calibre rifle fitted with a silencer.
He also said council staff were looking at longer-term deterrents, including replanting the park in grass unpalatable to geese.
Waitati ornithologist Derek Onley said there was a much simpler solution - let people walk their dogs on the park.
Geese did not like being disturbed, so having people walk their dogs in the area was an effective way to keep geese away, he said
Under council rules, people can walk their dogs off leash at the park anywhere not marked as a playing field.
A similar solution was used successfully at Waikouaiti when geese invaded the golf course and racecourse, he said.
On the number of geese increasing despite the culling, Mr Onley said geese tended to "get around'' and could well take up with another flock.
As long as Watson Park stayed attractive to the geese, they would probably turn up again,
Kelly O'Keefe, who lived near the park, said the rogue gaggle was down to two before there appeared to be two additions arrive from another gaggle in the area, most likely Back Beach.
The Back Beach flock, which Ms O'Keefe said was previously at least eight strong, yesterday numbered six.
Mr Black said the council was not culling that flock.
-By Tenoch King
