- Title: SERBIA-GOOSE FIGHT Serbians say annual goose fight shouldn't ruffle feathers
- Date: 23rd February 2015
- Summary: MOKRIN, SERBIA (FEBRUARY 22, 2015) (REUTERS) PEOPLE WATCHING GEESE GANDER AND GEESE WALKING PEOPLE WATCHING OWNERS WALKING BEHIND GEESE GEESE WALKING INTO ENCLOSURE PEOPLE WATCHING FROM BEHIND FENCE GANDERS FIGHTING (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) ONE OF THE ORGANISERS, ZIVICA TERZIC, SAYING: "We have invited [representatives of animal protection organizations] several times, to see that this is their pure natural instinct. And you will now see too that we do not force them to fight, they simply brawl -- like any other animals, like lions or bears -- with each other to attract the females' attention, and to procreate." VARIOUS OF GANDERS FIGHTING CHILDREN WATCHING FROM BEHIND FENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) GOOSE OWNER, ZELJKO RADAKOVIC, SAYING: "I think they [animal protection agencies] are wrong because we cannot force ganders to fight, they do it naturally, based on their instincts, to defend their goose and their flock. Animal protection organisations accuse us of torturing them, that ganders kill each other, but that's not the case at all. The loser goes away, the winner lets him go, and that's it." PEOPLE WATCHING VARIOUS OF OWNER WALKING BEHIND GEESE VARIOUS OF GEESE WALKING TWO GROUPS OF GEESE STARTING FINAL FIGHT GANDERS FIGHTING OWNER OF GANDER "MARGITARES", MILORAD RISTIC, WATCHING VARIOUS OF GANDERS FIGHTING PEOPLE WATCHING / GANDERS FIGHTING OWNER OF GANDER "MAKOTO MAKANO", MIODRAG CELEKETIC, WATCHING GANDER "MAKOTO MAKANO" RUNNING AWAY RISTIC HOLDING UP WINNER GANDER "MARGITARES" TROPHIES ON TABLE RISTIC HOLDING WINNER'S TROPHY WITH CELEKETIC HOLDING SECOND-PLACE TROPHY TROPHY IN RISTIC'S HANDS READING (Serbian): "29TH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GOOSE FIGHT. FIRST PLACE MOKRIN 2015" (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) OWNER OF WINNING GANDER "MARGITARES", MILORAD RISTIC, SAYING: "Well, for the 15 years that I have participated, I always wanted my gander to win, and now my dream has come true. So I am very satisfied and I love that he is number one, Margitares." GEESE WALKING AWAY
- Embargoed: 10th March 2015 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Serbia
- Country: Serbia
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVACUB6GYH0ZWI1CMOXFO1QXM8S
- Story Text: Participants in the annual goose fights in the Serbian town of Mokrin were firmly unruffled at this year's contest on Sunday (February 22) despite the violent nature of the contest.
The traditional event, which marked its 29th anniversary in 2015, sees crowds from Serbia, Romania and Hungary watch two competing ganders wrangle in front of small flocks of female geese.
A number of animal protection organisations have warned in the past that the Mokrin events violate basic legal principles of animal welfare, and that organised animal fights are legally prohibited in Serbia.
But participants said that the fights represented the strict pecking order seen elsewhere in the animal world.
"We have invited [representatives of animal protection organizations] several times, to see that this is their pure natural instinct. And you will now see too that we do not force them to fight, they simply brawl -- like any other animals, like lions or bears -- with each other to attract the females' attention, and to procreate," one of the organisers, Zivica Terzic, said.
Although the fights feature dramatic honking and flapping of wings, injuries among ganders are rare and end after the loser leaves the battlefield with everything in tact but their pride.
"I think they [animal protection agencies] are wrong because we cannot force ganders to fight, they do it naturally, based on their instincts, to defend their goose and their flock. Animal protection organisations accuse us of torturing them, that ganders kill each other, but that's not the case at all. The loser goes away, the winner lets him go, and that's it," one goose owner, Zeljko Radakovic, said.
Mokrin, 120 kilometres north east from capital Belgrade, takes its 2,000 geese seriously. Training for competitors includes regular walks and even sessions in swimming pools and qualification fights begin in December of the previous year.
This year's winner was Margitares, from the nearby village Margita, who beat second-place gander Makoto Magano, named after a famous ninja warrior.
"Well, for the 15 years that I have participated, I always wanted my gander to win, and now my dream has come true. So I am very satisfied and I love that he is number one, Margitares," Margitares' owner, Milorad Ristic, said.
Despite concerns of animal rights groups, the event was officially prohibited once due to concerns over the spread of bird flu in 2006. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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