Gee Lake geese pester PAC visitors

Gee Lake, a landmark at Texas A&M University-Commerce, attracts students, Commerce residents, ducks and geese.

Located in front of the Performing Arts Center (PAC), Gee Lake has become home to several domestic animals such as "resident" geese, cranes, Musgrave ducks, migratory ducks, turtles and fish.

According to university archives, the geese and duck populations have been in existence since the lake was built and has grown. The geese are the only animals that have been a concern to student safety. Although some students will not enter the PAC at the north entrance because of the geese, some theater and RTV associates have learned to either ignore or appreciate them.

"They are slightly annoying, but I have never been scared of them," theater graduate Alex Embry said.

Unlike migratory geese, who fly 2,000-3,000 miles to Canada to mate and nest, residential geese mate and nest where they were born. Migratory geese can become residential if they have been injured, which causes them to either fly only 100-200 miles, like residential geese, or never again.

"Their instinct to return to their general area of birth is very strong," according to online fact sheets.

This could explain the fact that the geese population on campus grows during the mating season in February and March, and nesting season, which continues until mid-May.

"The geese are aggressive and territorial, but if you confront them by waving your hands or making a loud noise, they usually seem to go away," theater graduate Renee Caldwell said.

The geese's aggression increases during mating and nesting season because they see students, faculty ands staff as a threat to their eggs. Some RTV students think the geese have been tormented so much that they attack instinctively. Senior theater lecturer Jim Anderson has had to call the police on students who have kicked and or thrown objects at the geese.

"If I catch anyone treating the geese wrongly, I will call the cops," Anderson said.
"I think the animals on Gee Lake are impressive."

Another complaint of some students is the presence of bird waste on the sidewalks surrounding the lake.

"Since the sidewalk has been put around the lake, it's pretty, but the fecal matter is everywhere," Embry said.