At least 182 Trumpeter Swans die on a lake in Abbotsford! Please sign the petition!

Judson Lake is located in Abbotsford and shared with the US. Half of it is in Abbotsford and half of it is in Sumas. Trumpeter Swans are dying at an alarming rate from lead poisoning. The US is doing nothing to help these swans. They used to put fencing up to protect the swans from eating high quantities of lead on the US side but this didn't happen this year. These birds eat the lead shot as they forage and think it is grit. It is a slow painful death that kills them. The lake is extremely contaminated with lead. Over a span of five years more than 1100 swans have perished at this lake. I don't know how their population can handle such losses. They have so few offspring that such mass mortalities are really detrimental to their population. You can read the story in the Vancouver Sun HERE

It is time the US  and Canada bans lead for ALL hunters. A much safer alternative is copper  and tungsten bullets. Lead bullets are FULLY banned for hunting in California. There is no reason not to ban it North America wide. It kills eagles and many more birds inadvertently. The Canadian government banned lead for hunting waterfowl  and most migratory game birds 22 years ago. However, it is still legal to use on pheasants, grouse and large wild game in Canada (outside of National Wildlife Areas). In the US President Obama banned the use of lead ammunition only on National Wildlife Refuges but Trump overturned that when he came into office.

There is an official Canadian petition in the House of Commons now asking the federal government to ban lead shot by placing it on the virtual elimination list of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.. If you can please sign it that would be much appreciated. We have to try and do something to save these swans! The US and Canadian Govt should also clean the lake by dredging it down deep and replacing the water with clean fill.

Global News aired a story about this that you can view HERE

Link to sign is HERE

Trumpeter Swans are dying at alarming rates from lead poisoining in Abbotsford - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Comments

  1. LonelytravellerJune 13, 2021 at 9:25 PM

    Thanks for bringing awareness to this issue, glad to sign the petition!!

    ReplyDelete

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