Winter Home

Hundreds of Canada Geese have made their home at the old quarry between Greencastle Middle School and Robe-Ann Park this winter. While this many geese have not been common in the area in the past, the answer of why the geese are here now may lie in changing population. "Populations of Canada geese have increased dramatically during the last 50 to 60 years," DePauw biology professor Dr. Vanessa Fox said. "They are more likely to stay in northern regions (such as Indiana) and are less likely to migrate south for the winter." Fox added that possible explanations for the population growth include increased food availability, decreased hunting pressure and climate change. Whatever the reason, the geese have certainly become a common sight, both in the water of the quarry and in the nearby airspace.