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Nature knows? Canadian goose - Bald Eagle 20-minute fight seen as symbol of strained US-Canada ties

Nature knows? Canadian goose - Bald Eagle 20-minute fight seen as symbol of  strained US-Canada ties

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World | The Bald Eagle, a US symbol, and the Canadian Goose's battle offers a vivid metaphor for the complexities in US-Canada relations, as observed by onlookers.

A Bald Eagle- the bird deemed the national symbol of the US and appears on many national emblems- engaged in a fierce battle with the Canadian goose in Burlington, Ontario. The 20-minute encounter in which eventually the goose fended off the attack from the eagle, was captured by a Canadian photographer. Now, amid strained relations between US and Canada over President Donald Trump's tariff war, this scene from nature is being seen as very symbolical.

The fight was recently captured by Mervyn Sequeira, an Ontario photographer. While speaking to CBC Hamilton, he said he was out with his family on a recent morning hike at the LaSalle Marina when the bald eagle and the goose were spotted.

"We were there, and we saw this bald eagle coming in and going in to attack a Canada goose that was on the ice," Sequeira said, as quoted by the news site.

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The 74-year-old retired airline captain arrived in Canada from Goa, India, 30 years ago and ever since, he has been photographing Canadian wildlife.

He further told the outlet that he saw a bald eagle making "several attempts" to attack the goose.

"When we thought that it was really over for the goose, strangely, the bald eagle just gave up and left," said Sequeira.

"The goose was spared that day," he added.

Sequeira, who is from Oakville, Ontario, said the iconic eagle-goose battle moment was captured on February 23.

Sequeira said he found the encounter "very symbolic".

"I only posted [the pictures to social media] in terms of what happened, not putting a political spin on it. However, there were lots of people who looked at it in the political context," he said, noting that he doesn't like getting into politics.

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Sequeira shared his perspective, stating, "That is how nature works."

"But we're living in a slightly polarised world just now, so some people looked at it differently," he added.

Trump and Trudeau on tariff

Canada's moves to stop fentanyl trafficking are "not good enough," Donald Trump said he told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a "somewhat friendly" call Wednesday to discuss tariffs the United States has slapped on its northern neighbour.

Trudeau has repeatedly said that less than one per cent of the fentanyl and undocumented migrants that enter the United States come through the Canadian border, although Trump has dismissed the figure.

(With inputs from agencies)