Cormorants need a new image, help make it happen
Want to join me in making a difference for one of the world's most hated birds?
Hunters and fishermen have blamed cormorants for every kind of problem from decimating fish populations to destroying the environment and so much more. But they don't do any of the things they are blamed for. In fact, they're beneficial eco-engineers that attract other colonial waterbirds, consume invasive fish species and fulfill a longstanding, critical ecological role.
I'm raising money to benefit Zoocheck's project to create a mini-documentary about cormorants and any donation will help make an impact. The film is part of a much larger initiative to try to stop the Ontario hunt and to help cormorants in other ways.
Cormorants are a native Ontario waterbird that was pretty much wiped out because of human persecution and pesticide poisoning. In the 1970s there were just 25 pairs of the birds in the Great Lakes, but their numbers have rebounded and there are now 143,000 cormorants in Ontario. That's still not a lot and the birds are still vulnerable to disturbance and, as of Sept 15th, to being shot. And they're easy to shoot because they live in colonies on exposed islands and headlands.
Remarkably, despite the small number of cormorants in the province, the Ontario government has started a hunting season that could wipe them out. The legal take in the province is more than 316 million birds. Yes, you heard that right. It's crazy.
Each year in Ontario, there are an estimated 197,000 small game license holders. Every one of them is allowed to kill up to 15 cormorants a day. A person or two could easily wipe out small colonies in the blink of an eye and less than 1% of the license holders could potentially wipe out most of the cormorants in the province.
Fishermen, hunters and their friends in government have portrayed cormorants as ugly, invasive, unwanted, destructive to fish and the environment and smelly. And many people buy into what they're saying. We want to change that.
We've already started work on a mini-documentary film to show everyone that cormorants are stunningly beautiful, ecologically beneficial birds that we should be happy to have here in Ontario and elsewhere too.
We produced a similar film titled Wild Hearts about Alberta's wild horses and it's helping. Tens of thousands of people have seen it and now know the wild horses are not unwanted, damaging, feral animals but, instead, are an integral part of Alberta's natural heritage. You can check out Wild Hearts at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S28lR9ZRahQ
I've watched cormorants at various locations in the Great Lakes. They're amazing birds. I'm so glad they're back. If you want to see cormorants remain, please help out with our documentary film. We need to show everyone what cormorants really are.
.
About Zoocheck: Zoocheck is an international charity established in 1984 to promote and protect the interests and well-being of wild animals throughout Canada and around the world. We are an outcomes-based organization with a demonstrable track record of achievement, including improving conditions for animals, changing policies and laws, fighting in the courts and rescuing animals in need.
Hunters and fishermen have blamed cormorants for every kind of problem from decimating fish populations to destroying the environment and so much more. But they don't do any of the things they are blamed for. In fact, they're beneficial eco-engineers that attract other colonial waterbirds, consume invasive fish species and fulfill a longstanding, critical ecological role.
I'm raising money to benefit Zoocheck's project to create a mini-documentary about cormorants and any donation will help make an impact. The film is part of a much larger initiative to try to stop the Ontario hunt and to help cormorants in other ways.
Cormorants are a native Ontario waterbird that was pretty much wiped out because of human persecution and pesticide poisoning. In the 1970s there were just 25 pairs of the birds in the Great Lakes, but their numbers have rebounded and there are now 143,000 cormorants in Ontario. That's still not a lot and the birds are still vulnerable to disturbance and, as of Sept 15th, to being shot. And they're easy to shoot because they live in colonies on exposed islands and headlands.
Remarkably, despite the small number of cormorants in the province, the Ontario government has started a hunting season that could wipe them out. The legal take in the province is more than 316 million birds. Yes, you heard that right. It's crazy.
Each year in Ontario, there are an estimated 197,000 small game license holders. Every one of them is allowed to kill up to 15 cormorants a day. A person or two could easily wipe out small colonies in the blink of an eye and less than 1% of the license holders could potentially wipe out most of the cormorants in the province.
Fishermen, hunters and their friends in government have portrayed cormorants as ugly, invasive, unwanted, destructive to fish and the environment and smelly. And many people buy into what they're saying. We want to change that.
We've already started work on a mini-documentary film to show everyone that cormorants are stunningly beautiful, ecologically beneficial birds that we should be happy to have here in Ontario and elsewhere too.
We produced a similar film titled Wild Hearts about Alberta's wild horses and it's helping. Tens of thousands of people have seen it and now know the wild horses are not unwanted, damaging, feral animals but, instead, are an integral part of Alberta's natural heritage. You can check out Wild Hearts at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S28lR9ZRahQ
I've watched cormorants at various locations in the Great Lakes. They're amazing birds. I'm so glad they're back. If you want to see cormorants remain, please help out with our documentary film. We need to show everyone what cormorants really are.
.
About Zoocheck: Zoocheck is an international charity established in 1984 to promote and protect the interests and well-being of wild animals throughout Canada and around the world. We are an outcomes-based organization with a demonstrable track record of achievement, including improving conditions for animals, changing policies and laws, fighting in the courts and rescuing animals in need.
Organizer
Rob Laidlaw
Organizer
East York, ON
Zoocheck
Beneficiary