A new way to help keep loons healthy! Volunteer Access Greeter Keith Gee is showing off Echo Lake’s new collection tube for disposing of lead sinkers and monofilament fishing lines. The Vermont Center for Eco-Studies provided the tube, and Keith installed it on the kiosk at the access.
How does lead poisoning affect loons? It only takes one lead sinker or jig to kill a loon. Once swallowed, lead weights dissolve in the loon’s gizzard and absorb into their bloodstream, causing lead poisoning. Affected loons can’t fly, may swim in uneven circles, and experience tremors. Loons that experience these symptoms cannot be cured and typically die in about two weeks.
How do loons ingest lead tackle? Loons need to consume small stones to grind food in their gizzards. Loons mistake small lead sinkers for stones. Loons can also catch slower-moving fish that have been impaired by lead tackle and fishing line, and eat the fish that have lead tackle in them. Loons might also chase tackle when anglers are fishing nearby, swallow the lead tackle and hook, and become entangled in the monofilament line.
For more information visit Vermont Center for Eco-Studies Lead Page: