Cormorant Defenders International (CDI) celebrates the presence of cormorants, pelicans, gannets, loons and other fish-eating birds in our environment, and acknowledges the roles these birds play as naturally part of the environments they inhabit. CDI is dedicated to educating the public about cormorants, documenting misinformation about cormorants, dispelling misinformation about cormorants and advocating, as necessary, on behalf of cormorants.
Cormorant Defenders International members include: Animal Alliance of Canada, Born Free USA. Earthroots, Humane Society International Canada, Humane Society of the United States, In Defense of Animals, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Niagara Action for Animals. Toronto Residents for Cormorants and Nature, World Animal Protection, Zoocheck.
Zoocheck is hosting this page on behalf of the members of Cormorants Defenders International.
SIGN THE PETITION TO STOP ONTARIO’S UNSCIENTIFIC, UNETHICAL FALL HUNT OF CORMORANTS
- Cormorant Facts
- Facts about Ontario’s new cormorant hunting season
- Responses to Ontario government’s proposed cormorant hunting season
- The Issues
- What You Can Do To Help Cormorants
- Further Reading (Books, Articles, Reports)
- Latest News
Double-crested Cormorants – North America’s most persecuted waterbird
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.
Cormorant Defenders International is working to rehabilitate the image of Double-crested cormorants, to stop abusive, unnecessary “population management” practices and to prevent the indiscriminate slaughter of cormorants throughout Ontario and parts of the United States.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CORMORANT ISSUE BY WATCHING CDI’S MINI DOCUMENTARY.
Dispelling the Myths, Cormorants in the Great Lakes Basin