A park in Westchester County was shut down after 12 dead Canada geese were found in the pond, with officials worried it could have been a result of bird flu.
The gate to Caroll Park in Mount Pleasant was locked Wednesday night, along with a sign posted telling people to stay away. It came days after the birds were found dead on the ice and in the water of the partially frozen pond, a startling site when the police chief saw it over the weekend.
"I was able to observe it was about a dozen dead Canadian geese on the ice and in the water," said Mount Pleasant Police Chief Paul Oliva. "I’m thinking this is definitely uncommon and we should be cautious how we handle this."
The state's Department of Environmental Conservation is testing the birds to determine what happened to them, but there is deep concern among officials. Mount Pleasant Town Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi said it had not yet been confirmed whether the geese did in fact have bird fly, and they were awaiting the results.
Avian flu is on the rise around the country, mostly impacting animals. But 66 humans contracted in the virus in the U.S. in 2024 and one person died, according to the New York State Department of Health. Out of an abundance of caution, officials in Mount Pleasant have been sending warnings to the public to stay away from dead birds.
"There’s always a possibility of picking up something. It could be on your shoe, whatever. Especially a dog, I would be concerned of a dog picking up something because of feces from the geese," said Fulgenzi.
Officials said the geese were found in the pond only and not in other parts of the park, like the children’s playground. But geese could still be seen inside the park Wednesday. A laser device will be set up to deter geese from coming to the pond, according to officials.
It was not immediately clear how long the park would remain closed. It would depend on the test results and how extensive the cleanup process would need to be.
