A new purpose in life.

[Rockabilly]

There is something interesting going on at one of my ponds. I used to have a bunch of white geese and now I am down to only one. He did not want to mingle with the regular ducks so he has spent a lot of time alone. He is about 25 years old. The wild geese do fly in and keep him company though. About the last week I noticed one of the wild geese with a baby. Just one. The old white goose has become so protective of this baby and his mother and stays right with them and won't let them out of his sight. What I'm wondering is if my old white goose is a male and the wild goose is a female and did they or could they mate? I don't know how else to explain how protective he is. I know he's been lonely, but this morning I told him he has a new purpose in life.

[zevida]

Aww, sweet!

[Chisamba]

Canada geese and domestic geese can interbreed but domestic geese are also very good at adopting young, if perchance the mate was wild, and was somehow taken by predation

[fergusnc]

Awwww. I don't know anything about geese so can't offer any answers, but can offer that the story is adorable! And now I want to see a photo of a 25 year old goose.

[chantal]

Very cool story, thank you!

[TeresaA]

This is a cute story. It really needs photos though....

[PaulaO]

Yeah the thread is worthless without pictures. LOL. It is soul satisfying to take care of critters in need

[Fatcat]

I've heard wild geese mate for life, so perhaps the wild goose lost her mate and has a new buddy in your white goose.

[Chisamba]

We have a pair of Canada Geese with five offspring in my sheep field. My domestic geese were quite territorial about it. However a few days ago one of the pair disappeared.

In the absence of two parents my flock of domestic geese are allowing the remaining goose and goslings very close and even seem to offer a measure of protection.

Canada geese are only monogamous if both mates are alive. If one mate dies the other will take a new mate.