Virginia Tech Drone Park goose released back into the wild

BLACKSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - A Canada goose is making itself at home in Blacksburg ‘s Duck Pond after a sticky situation in August left it tangled in the 85-foot drone testing cage at Virginia Tech.

The goose sustained injuries to both wings and one leg, but made a full recovery. Thursday, Haley Olsen-Hodges, a Virginia Tech Senior in the College of Natural Resources and Environment, and Staff Naturalist with the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center, released the goose back into the wild.

It was in no hurry to leave its crate on Live TV, but after some gentle coaxing, slowly walked into Virginia Tech’s Duck Pond for a swim.

It took several cherry pickers to remove the goose from the Virginia Tech Drone Park Cage. — It took several cherry pickers to remove the goose from the Virginia Tech Drone Park Cage.(Southwest VA Wildlife Center)

The unique rescue in August took several hours, utilizing two cherry pickers and several Virginia Tech staff members. Eventually, the distressed bird was carefully removed and lowered to the ground where Olsen-Hodges took it to recover at the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center. Experts say the goose’s injuries would have quickly grown worse without quick action and immediate response.

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