Middle Island Cormorants Under Attack, Public Statements by Parks Canada Suggest All Out War On Native Bird
2007-09-04
Cormorant Defenders International
Cormorant Defenders International charge that
staff at Parks Canada are
laying the groundwork for an all out attack on the cormorant colony on Middle Island, part of Point Pelee National Park.
"We heard the same statements from the
Ministry of Natural Resources – statements like - ‘The status quo is not an
option' and 'the ecosystem is impaired and in crisis'." said Rob Laidlaw,
Director of Zoocheck Canada
and spokesperson with Cormorant Defenders International (CDI). "We believe that Parks Canada staff will
be recommending an all out assault on the cormorants, whether or not they have
public support and despite the fact that they do not have history or science on
their side."
"Once again we see a myopic approach to
wildlife management," said Barry MacKay, Canadian Representative for the
Animal Protection Institute and spokesperson for CDI. "Parks Canada wants to keep one island
in Lake Erie in an artificial state, preventing
nature from defining the environment. Instead,
staff have decided that the current composition of plants and animals are to
remain static. The cormorants returned and
messed up their plans."
"Parks Canada is hosting a biased media
tour of Middle Island, pitching the argument to the
media that the island is impaired and in crisis," said Ainslie Willock
Director of Canadians for Snow Geese and spokesperson for CDI. "Instead Parks
Canada should be showing what a vibrant water bird colony looks like."
"Since 1994, the Parks Canada has
had its budget cut, resulting in closure of regional offices and cuts to the
parks and sites rehabilitation program and the operating budgets of parks and
sites," said Liz White,
Director, Animal Alliance of Canada and spokesperson for CDI. "Parks Canada is spending scarce tax
dollars on a misguided exercise which will result in the suffering and death of
infant cormorants if nest destruction techniques are used and cruelty and death
of thousands of adult cormorants if a cull is implemented. CDI documentation of
the cull at High Bluff Island in 2006 showed dozens of badly injured birds left
to suffer for as long as seven days."
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Film footage of the Presqu'ile cormorant cull available HERE.
For further information
contact Rob Laidlaw, 416-285-1744 416-553-6801(cell), Liz White, 416-462-9541(w) or
416-809-4371(cell), Barry MacKay, 905-472-9731, Ainslie Willock, 416-922-4554.
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