Loons returning to Minnesota from the Gulf of Mexico so far seem to be doing well, DNR officials say, alleviating some worries that they’d be harmed by the effects of last year’s big oil spill.
It’s too soon to tell for sure, reports the St. Cloud Times, but early reports are optimistic.
Pam Perry, a wildlife specialist for the Minnesota DNR who studies loons and other lake-dwelling wildlife, told the paper: “Right now, what I’m hearing from people is their loons are coming back. That’s all anecdotal.”
Later in the summer, DNR officials and volunteers will conduct their annual statewide survey of loons. Loon numbers have been stable since the survey started in 1994, so they’ll be watching for a drop in numbers to see if loons (and pelicans) that spent the winter on the Gulf Coast were harmed by the spill.
