On the morning of Monday June 15th our family discovered a male loon with a fishing lure and fishing line wrapped around it’s left leg just off our dock. See photo. It may just have happened as the bird was struggling by raising it’s leg to try to shake it off, the lure is a long oval with red or orange/ white stripes, I could also see fishing line tangled around its leg. The good news is it can still swim and dive, the bad is it cannot take off. It is with its mate (slightly smaller). So it is stuck here in Chestermere until this is removed. I imagine that the bird will be around here for a long time, unless it travels up the main canal–so keep your eyes open.
We phoned Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation and a conservation officer Laurie came out to try to help us capture the injured bird. We were unable to do with kayak and canoe, and neither the RCMP nor the fire department had a boat that could be used for a rescue.
If anyone sees this bird, and has a motorized craft (Zodiac type boat is best) and is willing to help, please call Laurie 403 946-2361 and he will bring out his big net ( looks like a fish net but bigger and longer handle) to catch it using a motorized boat. Otherwise you can try to capture it yourself, use gloves of course, a blanket to cover the animal, put it in a cardboard box and call Laurie at the number above or info@aiwc.ca.
Also, the Calgary Yacht Club has offered the use of its Zodiac for the rescue. To access this, please call either me 403 200 8046 or my husband Bill 403 272 3764 and if we are available could bring this boat over to use when the AIWC officer comes to catch the loon.
Final option if you spot the bird, is to have the AIWC officer try the RCMP and fire department again to see if their boats are available for use by the AIWC officer when he comes out. RCMP 403 204 8900 or Chestermere Fire Dept 403 272 9878.
