Number of Cormorants Found Dead This Year Has Increased

In Local

The Director of Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre said the number of cormorants found dead along the shoreline has increased this year.

Founder and President Sue Meech is licensed provincially by the Ministry of Natural Resources and federally by Canadian Wildlife Services to provide care and shelter for animal wildlife.

The Mandate of the Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre in Napanee which has been in operation since 1994 is to help all injured and orphaned wildlife (including mammals, birds, reptiles/amphibians) and release them back into the wild.

A number of the large fish-eating birds have been found dead along the Lake Ontario shoreline in Cobourg and Port Hope recently.

Meech said there has been a “boom” in the number of cormorants recently.

“Anytime this happens in a population diseases spread more easily and there is a die-off, especially of the young of the year.”

Meech said this year it is happening more than usual.

“The cause of death can be viral or fungal infection or sometimes trauma. Signs are lethargy, beaching out of the water and often found in strange places like parking lots in a confused state.”

For more information on the cormorant click here

Pete Fisher
Author: Pete Fisher

Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love

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