in defence of double-crested cormorants

After being nearly wiped out by human persecution and pesticide poisoning, the Double-crested cormorant has returned to the Great Lakes. Cormorants are a native Ontario water bird who have not yet recovered to historic population levels.

The return of cormorants is a good news environmental story that indicates reduced pesticide levels. As well, cormorants are the only major predator of several damaging invasive fish species. Sadly, special interest angling groups - who erroneously claim cormorants are responsible for depleting sport fish numbers, destroying shoreline ecosystems, disturbing other colonial water birds and causing pollution - are pushing for their eradication.

As part of Cormorant Defenders International, Zoocheck is actively campaigning to rehabilitate the image of Double-crested cormorants, to stop abusive, unnecessary "population management" practices and to prevent their indiscriminate slaughter throughout Ontario.

Click here to read more at the Cormorant Defenders International website.