A Scarborough swan with an international fan base has died.
Mango – the trumpeter swan who was a regular at the Scarborough Bluffs and along the Lake Ontario shoreline – was euthanized Tuesday after spending three weeks in the care of the Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC).
The swan – tagged as Y37 – was being treated for lead poisoning, most likely caused by ingesting lead shot and lead fishing sinkers. He was admitted to TWC on August 20th.
He and his mate Charlotte became internet sensations in May of last year when the TWC shared video of them being reunited after Mango recovered from being treated for a cut on his beak.
TWC’s director, Nathalie Karvonen, tells 680 NewsRadio Mango has been in the centre’s care at least five times over the years and every single time it was related to fishing garbage. She says TWC regularly treats birds, turtles and other animals injured by fishing waste.
“Fishing hooks, lures, fishing line, sinkers can badly injure or kill wildlife, and sadly, it’s one of the things we see over and over again.”
She says waterfowl nibble along the lake bed and don’t recognize the difference between lead shot or a lead sinker and a pebble. She says pebbles can help swans with their digestion, but the lead makes the bird very sick.
What about Charlotte’s future?
“She will certainly know he’s gone. She may or may not take another mate in the future, but she will probably wait for him for quite some time to come back,” Karvonen said.
She’s asking anyone who fishes or spends any time outside to pick up their garbage, whether it’s related to fishing or not.
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association has been calling for a ban on the use of lead fishing weights, jigs and lead shot because of what it calls the direct and indirect harm on humans, wildlife and the environment.
