NIU has partnered with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to decrease the number of geese on campus.

The department and NIU are bringing in the Goosinator to solve the problem. The Goosinator, which costs $3,497 to buy and $300 to $400 a year in maintenance, according to Goosinator.com, is an orange and yellow remote-controlled device that simulates features of goose predators. It frightens the geese away in a non-contact manner.

“The goal is to, in a humane way, to move the geese population away from the waters on campus,” said NIU spokesman Paul Palian. “After using the [Goosinator] a couple times a week, the hope is that the geese stay away from those bodies of water.”

Canada geese can cause damage, as their droppings litter sidewalks and cause over fertilization in ponds, leading to excessive algae growth, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services.

“The goose problem has been ongoing. It’s natural for geese to congregate where there’s large bodies of water,” Palian said. “While water features certainly beautify a campus, they also attract geese and the problems associated with them, namely goose droppings.”

Students also have concerns about the animals’ behavior. Kaitlin Oberle, junior dietetics and nutrition major, said she doesn’t like the geese getting to close to her.

“Its funny in the morning when they are quacking on top of the buildings, but otherwise I’m afraid they are going to chase after me,” Oberle said.

According to Creature Control, geese will chase and nip people. While some geese may chase after people, sophomore undecided major Esperanza Castellanos doesn’t fear all of them.

“The geese on campus are scary. They are nice to have around, but some of them are a little intimidating,” Castellanos said.

Oberle doesn’t want the animals to leave.

“I wouldn’t want to see them move off campus. They are fine where they are,” Oberle said.

Similarly, Castellanos doesn’t want the geese off campus, as she said they don’t attack without being provoked.

“I don’t want the geese to go away. They aren’t doing anything to me, and I haven’t heard of them harming anyone unless you try and harm them,” Castellanos said. “They just add something that makes NIU, NIU.”