Quick Take
- Securing 1 Brazilian prison now requires aggressive geese to achieve maximum security levels.
- The distinctive honk of Piu-Piu creates a detection hurdle within the facility’s quiet environment.
- A counter-intuitive discovery involving guard dogs forced 1 paradigm shift in Brazilian security.
- Establishing the grass area patrol was necessary to address security vulnerabilities between the inner fences.
Geese have quite a reputation when it comes to hissing and being generally aggressive! They can also be extremely protective and vigilant, and it is these very traits that make them excellent as guard animals. One prison in Brazil is harnessing the natural guarding abilities of geese to patrol their perimeter. These geese have recently made headlines on social media.
Guarding São Pedro de Alcântara Prison
The São Pedro de Alcântara prison is located in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. It has been in the headlines over the last month or so for adopting an unorthodox approach to security. As this Instagram post explains, geese are being used instead of guard dogs to patrol the perimeter.
Geese are naturally vigilant and protective.
©Steve Ikeguchi/Shutterstock.com
There are conflicting reports about exactly when the geese were introduced, but most agree that they have been highly successful. Of course, the geese are not solely responsible for security at the prison. Because the prison is located in a quiet area, their honks can be easily heard. According to this report in EuroWeekly, the geese are housed on an area of grass between the inner fence and the outer wall. The plan is for them to honk loudly if they spot anything suspicious. Because the prison is located in a quiet area, their honks can be easily heard.
Are Geese Better Than Guard Dogs?
The head goose is called Piu-Piu, and he has a distinctive honk. Geese are naturally vigilant and are quick to vocalize when they spot something unusual. But are they really better than guard dogs?
Speaking to Euronews, Prison director Marcos Roberto de Souza explained that geese are cheaper to keep than dogs. Canine guards require more training and healthcare than geese. These birds provide a natural alarm that is recognized by the officers who work at the prison. This unconventional approach to security has been highly successful so far!
