A woman has been left with serious injuries including a broken pelvis after being attacked by a gaggle of furious geese.
Lydia West, 72, was rushed to hospital after being set upon by several geese while she was feeding ducks at her local park in Texas on December 1. The attack was initiated by one larger goose which reportedly knocked the elderly lady to ground, before others joined in.
Ms West was left "trapped on the ground" and "unable to move", her son David said, with the ordeal only coming to an end when a passing couple intervened to fight off the geese.
After being taken to hospital, she was found to have suffered several breaks on one side of her pelvis and internal bleeding. David told local network WFAA that she now faces a "long road of physical therapy" and learning how to walk again as she recovers from her injuries.
Lydia visits City Lake Park in Royse City, Texas each day to feed the ducks, and her son said that she has been left shocked that geese "could even become that territorial and could hurt somebody". Describing the moment he received a phonecall telling him his mum was being taken to hospital, he said: "I've been getting a call in the middle of the day at work that my mother's being transported to the hospital because geese attacked her.
"It was something so ironic and odd. Now, I've done research online and realised that, okay, it happens, but it's just such an odd feeling, and it's still a shock to process."
David added that he hopes the incident will remind people - particularly the elderly - to be careful when interacting with wildlife in public spaces. "Our main concern is being able to get a warning out there to the public, especially the senior community", he said.
A spokesperson for City Lake Park told WFAA that the area is considering posting signs to instruct visitors how to "better share the space with wildlife." Geese commonly exhibit territorial behaviour, and have been known to attack humans when they believe they or their young are under threat.
Wildlife experts say you should try to give geese plenty of space during nesting season (typically March until June), as this is when they become most protective. If you encounter an aggressive goose, you should face it directly, make yourself appear large with your arms out, and back away slowly without turning your back.