FLEDGLING CROW FOUND POISENED ON SOUTH JAMES STREET
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THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO - June 18, 2019 (LSN) – We found this fledgling crow on James Street in Thunder Bay this morning in obvious distress. My wife and I sat with him a while, hoping he would improve but as he didn’t, we thought it best to take him home and contact wildlife rescue authorities. Flying above us were his parents, circling in obvious alarm and distress. We could see the little bird look up, his eyes briefly gazing on his parents for what would be the last time. A kind resident brought out a box and we lined it with our sweaters to add some measure of comfort. Once home, we called authorities but the little bird died minutes later, literally gasping for breath.
On examining the bird, he seemed to have been well nourished and feathered, no evidence of trauma but with blood in his beak and evidence consistent with rat poisoning, rescue authorities said.
This is further evidence of a problem where Thunder Bay residents are placing freely bought rat poison out to kill the unwanted mice, rats and squirrels. But as they die they become easy prey for predators and fledgling crows looking for an easy dinner. Then the poison continues up the food chain. And this was just another example of the awful result.
Upon posting, social media responded with anger and rage:
Hana Maria Firky – Poor baby was just going about his day trying to find something to eat. No animal deserves this.
Pati Bannister – Nobody has any business poisoning any wild animals as far as I am concerned. We take everything from them – their habitat and their ability to make a living, and then we kill them in the most excruciating ways imaginable. It’s awful.
Sonia H Jones – it makes no difference where you put it (rat poison). Rodents will walk around suffering and acting differently making them an easy target, which is how you get secondary poisoning. Poison should not be used full stop.
There are a lot of ways to control rats without resorting to poison.
The City of Thunder Bay may choose to act or not act respecting the use of rat poison. But people should become educated to the dangers of poisoning wildlife. It doesn’t have to be wildlife, it could be your family pet.
Submitted by William Olesky
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