A Canada goose that endured over seven months with an 80-centimetre arrow embedded in his rear is making a full recovery at the MARS Wildlife Rescue Centre on Vancouver Island.
Wilson the goose was caught months after concerned citizens noticed he was impaled with a training arrow. He was first spotted in Sechelt, but it wasn't until he reached Squamish that he was finally caught, through a group effort involving naturalists and wildlife photographer Tim Cyr. Wilson was taken to a veterinarian, Dr. Adrian Walton, at Dewdney Animal Hospital in Maple Ridge where the arrow was successfully removed.
The iconic Canadian bird arrived at the MARS facility in Merville in mid-January, where he spent some time recuperating indoors before being released into an outdoor pen. In this space, Wilson can heal and regain his skills necessary for survival, like flying, swimming, and foraging.
When asked if Wilson is a friendly goose, Justine Pfeiffer, a wildlife rehabilitator with MARS, just chuckled.
READ MORE WITH VIDEO: Maple Ridge vet pulls arrow from Canada goose
"He was inside for quite a while, and I think he got fed up with us," she said. "But now that he is outside, he is definitely not friendly."
This is likely due to the fact that, despite being struck by an arrow, Canada geese like Wilson are known for their mean streak.
But Wilson does seem to enjoy the company of his pen-mate, a Glaucous-winged gull, and two other wild Canada geese nesting on the MARS property, who visit him daily.
Before Wilson is released back into the wild, he is being monitored to ensure he can fly, forage and swim properly, Pfeiffer explained.
"He was pretty resilient because he did survive for a long time with an arrow in him, but he definitely will do a lot better without it."
To learn more about MARS, click here.
