Deers, ducks, geese, squirrels, etc. in public parks have grown up dependant on humans for food. That is probably how their mothers taught them to eat and survive. Don't feed the animals in a park? Well, you should never feed a bear because he might attack you. But if you don't feed those other animals they'd probably starve. You could take them to a forest perhaps. But they'd have no survival skills for that place. So, you have to leave them where they are, and let humans feed them.
There are suburban neighborhoods across America that have been designated as Federal Wildlife Sanctuaries. Or at least parts of the cities. Like one Suburban area which included several Private Housing projects in which the population of Canada Geese out numberd the Paying Tenants & Homeowners and had more rights than those paying tenants and homeowners. Canada Geese are Bullies. THey are aggressive and territorial, and will take over your community once they move in. They will inhabit your open patios, nest in your flower beds and perch in the sunlight in front of your garage. You cannot shoo them away because they will attack you, and you cannot defend yourself in any way that may cause harm to them, because they are a protected species and you will get into serious legal trouble. They will also occupy commercial areas around the residential developments and cause similar issues. They have been known to try and graze in the garden departments of home improvement centers, who either have to bear the cost or only sell live plants that the geese won't eat. Additionally, traffic on streets and in parking lots suffer, because people in those areas are scared of accidentally hitting the geese and being charged with a crime. Even if it can be proven that the incident was unavoidable, you may still be ticketed. As to feeding them? You don't have to offer anything, they will take what they want when it is within their line of sight. Canada Geese are Omnivores and are extremely opportunistic and bold when it comes to tracking down food. If Canada Geese are around your car when you come out of the grocery store, go back inside, or they may actually try to take food out of your cart or grab it while you are loading your car. None of this is speculation, I've seen it and had it happen to me. I lived in Fresno, Ca. for three years in what was supposed to be an upscale housing project. But because of oversized water features and multiple pools, the community was infested. I guess people didn't mind, but I couldn't deal with it any longer and moved out. And out of Fresno as well.
I Know that a lot of the Canadian Geese were wounded by hunters on refuges, but managed to escape capture. Wild life Biologists round them up and take them to rehabilitation centers. As most wild life learn that life is safer and easer around humans and decide not to migrate to Canada when released. A lot of the Bear Cubs lose their mothers to vehicle accidents and also go to shelters. They lose their fear of humans and go to populated areas after they are released. There are not enough zoos to maintain these animals for life. Tree squirrels and Ground Squirrels are natural foragers and will gladly occupy areas with food, shelter and a lack of predators. They may be smarter than most of us suspect.
