Disease, not poison, likely killed swans found around Michigan lake, DNR says
Updated May 05, 2021;
Posted May 05, 2021
A pair of mute swans is shown on Lake Michigan at Leelanau State Park in Leelanau County.MI Dept. of Natural Resources
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WATERFORD, MI – At least some of the dead swans recovered from a Michigan lake in April were killed by a parasite, not poison as originally suspected, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Wildlife biologists confirmed that a disease caused by a parasitic flatworm called Verminous Hemorrhagic Ulcerative Enteritis killed three mute swans found dead near Maceday Lake in Waterford Township.
Jason Fischer was shocked at what his crew had just caught Fischer, a biologist who works with a Michigan-based Fish and Wildlife Service office, was on the water late last month, putting out setlines with hooks to catch and survey the lake sturgeon population in the Detroit River. It was his first setline survey with this three-person crew, and until then, his research had focused on egg and larval stages we re talking about a fish less than an inch. It was his teammates, fellow biologists Jenny Johnson and Paige Wigren, who took a look at the latest catch and said: Oh man, that s going to be a very big fish.
May 5, 2021 By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com
Livingston County residents and others across the state are being reminded that when it comes to spring cleaning public land is not a trash can.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says spring is a popular time to declutter, clean and organize but unfortunately, many people discard items they no longer need and/or their trash on state-managed land, along the road or even on another personâs private property.
Dumping old mattresses, tires or televisions or throwing a bag of fast food out the window while driving is illegal â and something DNR conservation officers are said to take very seriously. People are being reminded to always dispose of waste properly and help keep public lands clean for everyone.