Arctic geese in North America

Multiple species of geese spend part of their annual cycle in the circumpolar Arctic and serve as a source of nutrition and cultural affirmation for many peoples. Arctic geese function as important indicators of environmental changes and some species also have the potential to alter ecosystem processes when they become overabundant. In 2022, despite an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in North America and variable spring weather conditions, the population sizes of most Arctic geese remained at or above historical levels.