Incredible footage of a goose attacking, and possibly drowning, a seagull was posted on Reddit recently and it has us wondering what prompted this ruthless attack.
But as we see in many acts of heroism in the animal world, this was about protecting family, or in this case, its flock.
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It’s thought that the seagull was lurking a little too close to the goose’s nest, prompting the cutthroat attack.
If this is the case that the goose was protecting its young, it would make a lot of sense. Geese are known to become aggressive when they believe either their eggs or their goslings are in danger. Both parents defend the nest and goslings until the young are 10 weeks old and can fly.
Geese are naturally good protectors and watchdogs. They are considered to have excellent eyesight and be watchful and inquisitive. This paired with their aggression and extreme tendencies to be territorial seem to make them the ultimate parents.
These skills along with a natural tendency to be territorial have even led to the use of guard geese throughout history.
In ancient Rome, geese are credited for alarming the Romans when they were being invaded in the Battle of the Allia.
In modern times, geese are still used on farms to deter predators including snakes. Geese have been standing guard for humans everywhere from American Air Defense Commands in Germany to a police station in Xinjiang, China.
