toronto geese crossing

Videos show police escorting family of geese through downtown Toronto

Humans may be spending more time than usual chilling indoors this spring, but it's business as usual for members of the animal kingdom — and that means breeding season.

New baby animal superstars are starting to surface in Toronto, as they do every year, bringing joy and wonderment into the lives of those who are lucky enough to spot them in the wild... or thereabouts.

A gaggle of Canada geese — two parents and six goslings — delighted and surprised many in the city this weekend by popping up right in the downtown core.

While it's not unusual to see Canada geese in Canada's largest city, they rarely show up at crosswalks in dense urban neighbourhoods. This is likely why a police officer gave them a special escort through the entertainment district — though some say humans need more protection against this sassy breed of goose than vice versa.

This family was first captured on camera at the intersection of Portland Street and Adelaide Street west, right between two busy stretches of King and Queen Street West.

Twitter user Farah Qasemi shared footage shot by a friend on Friday in which a Toronto Police officer can be seen watching over the geese as they cross Portland Street in an orderly fashion.

As if that clip weren't cute enough on its own, another video was uploaded by another Twitter user on Saturday showing what may or may not be the same goose family being escorted by police across Lake Shore Boulevard.

This time, however, two police officers on bicycles were joined by a handful of nature lovers who formed a protective barrier around the geese as they walked in a line toward the waterfront.

The goose-loving crew could be seen ushering the birds south toward along Dan Leckie Way, which, perhaps tellingly, is directly below Portland Street.

I can't say for certain whether or not the two videos show the same family of geese, but it's certainly plausible given their locations and a few other factors (including the presence of what appears to be the same little girl wearing a red coat in both videos.)

Whatever the case, it's nice to know so many people care about the safety of Toronto's feathered pedestrians... even those who will hiss at and chase you around until you cry.

Lead photo by

Farah Qasemi


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