This is from Nicola who lives over on Gleason Pond. A cygnet just died there from some fishingline filalment.
-- steveo at syslang.net TMMP1 http://frambors.syslang.net/ ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2003 08:56:25 -0400 From: Nicola Cataldo <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Cindy Dionne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Fw: Swan-lovers are killing swans ----- Original Message ----- From: Nicola Cataldo To: Michele Grzenda Cc: Mike Ciaranca ; Peter Mirick ; Fredrick and Joy Kuhn Sent: Friday, June 27, 2003 8:53 AM Subject: Swan-lovers are killing swans I'm beside myself here and I wonder if you can help. I know you were with Audubon prior to this. My neighbors tell me that Mass Audubon reps have told them that feeding dry bird food to these swans on our pond is not harmful as long as it doesn't interfere with their natural diet. The result is three cygnets have died a horrible death in three days. And many die each year from human interference. They are eating broken glass and fishing line which they pick up from the banks. I have seen these well-meaning neighbors actually pour birdseed on top of a round orange fishing bobber and never even notice. I have had to pull cygnets out of the water (dead and alive) many times in the past six years and my advice goes nowhere with these people when Audubon says something different. Firstly, all the swan specialists I have been able to reach over the years (Swans Sanctuary, U.K. and others) verify that this bird's food MUST be wet. And it's fairly obvious if you watch them eat and then begin to choke until they get a drink. Secondly the fishing line kills them even when a hook doesn't impale them. They become so wound up that they end up with "tourniquets" tied to their wings, necks and legs. This is a lousy and slow way to die. And lastly they are now coming out of the pond and crossing the street to come into people's yards. They are smart enough to have learned that humans have food and they know where the humans are. I know they are exotics and conservationists are not nuts about them. That aside, if they are eaten by predators so be it, but to be killed by the people who love because they think they are following expert advice is just too gross. Is there anyone I can contact who can help stop this? Nicola Cataldo 508-620-9379
