After "Wild Goose Chase," Crews Rescue Bird With Dart Lodged in Head

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A little more than a month after a woman reported she found a goose with a dart going through its head, animal rescuers have finally caught up with the creature.

Rescuers with AWARE (Atlanta Wild Animal Rescue Effort) Wildlife Center last week caught the goose, known as Gilbert, at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs.

Marjan Ghadrdan, wildlife care supervisor with the organization, said AWARE volunteers Rick Kersey and Cindy Mayer were able to finally apprehend Gilbert after weeks of going on a “wild goose chase.”

Along with the use of a net gun, both Kersey and Mayer had to take a dip in the pond on the cemetery’s property in order to catch the goose.

“The rescue took a long time due to Gilbert’s ability to fly and his weariness of people,” Ghadrdan added.

Resident Meg Harrison initially discovered the goose in March, and reached out to AWARE to help free the animal from the foreign object, according to WSB-TV.

The dart was removed from Gilbert’s head shortly after arriving at the AWARE Wildlife Center in Lithonia on Wednesday, April 22.

“Gilbert is doing great and there is even another goose at the center who has taken a love interest in him,” Ghadrdan added. “Gilbert will be released back to her pond at Arlington cemetery in a few weeks.”

AWARE Wildlife Center works to rehabilitate injured and orphaned wildlife throughout the state. It also “educates the community about habitat preservation and peaceful coexistence,” the organization said on its website.

Photo 1: Gilbert with the dart in its head
Photo 2: Cindy Mayer with Gilbert
Photo 3: Rick Kersey
Photo 4: Gilbert at the pond at Arlington Memorial Park
Photo credits: AWARE Wildlife Center