NEW YORK, April 29 (UPI) -- Officials at a New York state cemetery said a mother Canada goose hatched her eggs under the watchful eye of her protector, a local deer.

The Forest Lawn cemetery in Buffalo said the seven eggs, which the mother goose had laid in an urn, hatched early Wednesday and the goose led her goslings to the ground, and then led them toward Mirror Lake at about 4 p.m., The Buffalo News reported Thursday.


The events were watched by a white-tailed deer that drew national attention by taking up the role of the goose's protector when the bird was abandoned by her mate. Officials said the buck spent several hours each day in recent weeks watching over the mother and her eggs.