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Threats to Loons and VLRPs Conservation Actions(page under construction) Common Loons are threatened by a variety of human impacts year-round. Threats on the breeding grounds:
Threats during migration and on the wintering grounds: Threats on the Breeding GroundsNests are located within 1-2 feet of the shoreline, often in exposed locations (e.g., islands and hummocks near open water). If a potential threat like a boat or predator comes near a loon nest, the adult will leave the nest and enter the water where it feels safe. (Loons cannot walk on land; they shuffle on their belly to get to the water.) Unattended nests leave the eggs exposed to predators and the elements. Repeated disturbance may cause loons to abandon their nest. How to best denote VCE/VLRP actions to help? Loon habitat and where people recreate almost entirely overlap. Loon nests are usually located within 2-6 inches vertically of the water. Many ponds and lakes have dams, which allow for the rapid rise and fall of water levels, which can flood or strand a nest. Today, most hydroelectric companies and groups that regulate water levels attempt to stabilize water levels from May through July. For lakes, ponds, and reservoirs that flood readily during large rain events (both reservoirs and natural lakes), nesting rafts are sometimes used. These structures mimic islands on which loons like to nest, but they float. Loons require a “quiet” area to nest successfully. Nests usually need to be about a ¼ mile from areas with shoreline activity (camps, beaches, trails, roads). Many lakes have little or no natural loon nesting habitat left. Only through intensive management efforts and cooperation from landowners will loons nest on these lakes and ponds. Lead Fishing Gear: a poison to all wildlife
Entanglement / Ingestion of Fishing Line: Loons take live bait and lures. For more information about the threat of lead fishing gear, visit the Tufts University Wildlife Veterinary Medicine and Vermont Fish and Wildlife websites: How you can help?
Mercury Contamination
For more information about mercury and loons, visit: How you can help?
Threats During Migration and on the Wintering GroundsTwo major oil spills have occurred in 1996 (North Cape, Massachussetts) and 2003 (Buzzard’s Bay, Rhode Island), both killing a minimum of 200 adult loons each. These were the number of loons actually collected, thus over a 1,000 loons likely perished. It is unknown what the impacts of trawler nets are on the loon population, but it likely can be substantial. http://www.michiganloons.org/fishing_nets.htm Type E botulism has caused the deaths of thousands of mergansers, cormorants, gulls, and loons since 2000. Every 10 years or so there has been a cycle of botulism outbreak in waterbirds on Lake Erie that lasts for 1 year. There have now been 8 consecutive years of major die-offs, and each year it appears to be getting worse and more widespread. The die-offs are likely a result of bottom-dwelling feeders bringing naturally occurring botulism from the lake bottoms up into the food chain. Three introduced species are part of the mechanism, including round goby fish, and quagga and zebra mussels. Ocean-going ships have dumped their ballast waters into the Great Lakes for decades contributing to the over 200 introduced species now in this ecosystem. It is estimated that over 30,000 loons have died over the past 8 years with the largest die-off occurring in 2007. The outbreaks have now occurred in all the Great Lakes except Lake Superior. A few color-banded loons from Wisconsin were found dead on Lake Erie, but most of the loons were likely from northern Ontario. (article from LPC?) |
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