From Zoocheck Canada - Oct 11,2007 www.zoocheck.com

Please cross-post this alert widely to anyone who cares about wildlife.

We have been advised that, if the public consultation regarding the culling for cormorants on Middle Island in Pelee National Park shows that the majority of people are opposed to management of the birds, they will not kill them. Therefore, we are trying to get as many people as possible to contact the park and cc. the Minister (again) to let them know how they feel about this issue.

Background: Parks Canada is trying to convince the public that they “need” to kill thousands of the nesting cormorants on Middle Island in Point Pelee National Park in Western Lake Erie. They claim that the birds are “hyper-abundant” and may pose a threat to plants if they are left to nest on the island. This is simply another attempt by government to control nature and force the island ecosystem into what they believe to be the perfect mix of plants and animals. Meanwhile other areas of Carolinian Forest in Southern Ontario are going unprotected from human activities.

As many of you know, there is no humane way to kill nesting cormorants and in any event there is no reason to kill them. The cormorants are part of the Great Lakes Ecosystem and are naturally occurring. Any changes to the island caused by the birds are part of a natural process. For more information check out our web site at www.cormorants.ca

Some of you have already written to the Minister, but now we really need to you write to the park in order to be recorded as participating in the public consultation process.

Please send your comments to: pelee.info@pc.gc.ca and cc the Minister of the Environment, John Baird John.Baird@ec.gc.ca

Also please bcc me if you can so that I can track their responses without them knowing that I am doing it. julie@zoocheck.com

Here is a sample letter.

Subject: Public consultation on cormorant management on Middle Island

Please accept this e-mail as part of the public consultation regarding the proposed management of cormorants on Middle Island in Point Pelee National Park.

I have been advised that Parks Canada is planning to kill or otherwise remove nesting cormorants from Middle Island in Point Pelee National Park.

I am opposed to the killing or disruption of the cormorant colony in any way. The birds are part of the Carolinian ecosystem and should be left to nest peacefully on the island regardless of their numbers.

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