• Question: by studying the genomes of a Canada goose will we be able to study why they are so aggressive

    Asked by hg2000 to Canada Goose on 15 Nov 2017. This question was also asked by melonade.
    • Photo: Canada Goose

      Canada Goose answered on 15 Nov 2017:

      This is a very good question. Is the aggressive behaviour instinctive or learned.

      Geese tend to be aggressive because they are protective of their young. This seems to be instinctive (not learned) so this is likely to be genetic. It benefits the survival of geese so it is a trait that has been passed down generations. More study would be required – involving genetics, but also study of behaviour.

      They aren’t really scared of people because they don’t see people as a threat. Often they have been fed by people. This is behavioural.

Comments