Mother Goose: Biologist Imprints Herself on Twelve Goslings to Study Them Better

Biologist Jessica Meir at the University of British Columbia is the mother to a group of twelve goslings. Meir imprinted herself on the brood of twelve goslings. She has raised the goslings since birth. She is using the imprinting as a tool, so she can get closer to the birds and learn more about how the bar-headed geese are able to fly at such high altitudes. The bar-headed geese have been spotted flying above Mt. Everest.

The flight training is the coolest looking part of the research. Meir flight trains with the birds using a scooter. The geese fly right next to her while she rides the scooter. Take a look:

Photo: Jessica Meir, Scripps Institute of Oceanography at UCSD

More from Science Space & Robots