Thursday, June 25, 2020



TRAGEDY IN BC

Only two of 17 baby great blue herons survive falling tree in Tsawwassen


Kevin Griffin


© Paul Steeves These two baby great blue herons survived a fall from their nests in the rookery on Tsawwassen First Nation land. They're being nursed back to health with feedings every 45 minutes from dawn to dusk at the Wildlife Rescue Association hospital in Burnaby.
WARNING: This story contains an image of dead birds that some readers may find distressing.

A “devastating” loss of 15 baby Pacific great blue herons could happen again in Tsawwassen, according to the Wildlife Rescue Association .

Janelle Stephenson , manager of the association’s wildlife hospital, said loss of habitat due to development in Metro Vancouver is causing the herons to move out of some areas and into others that aren’t safe — including on a major rookery on Tsawwassen First Nation land.

“Animals are being pushed into areas they wouldn’t normally be nesting in because of development. It’s really devastating. We want them to all be safe. There’s a big worry it can happen again.”

Stephenson said last Thursday night or Friday morning, a tree with three heron nests fell to the ground, bringing down nests in at least two other nearby trees.

A total of 17 baby herons, or nestlings, were affected: 11 were found dead and six were brought into the WRA hospital in Burnaby. Only two survived.

“We went in with volunteers and natural resource officers to find as many animals as we could find after the tee had fallen,” she said.
A falling tree on Tsawwassen First Nation land led to the deaths of 15 baby great blue herons when they fell from their nests.

Rescuers worked with Tsawwassen First Nation to rescue the baby herons, Stephenson said.

Pacific great blue herons are normally solitary but come together in rookeries to breed and nest.

They choose the site because there aren’t many humans or predators around. In the past, trees have fallen in the area but it wasn’t a problem until herons started expanding their rookery, Stephenson said.

The nestlings couldn’t escape because they were too young to fly

“They were all too young to be out of the nest,” she said. “When they dropped, it was like dropping a baby. They didn’t have any ability to hold themselves up.”
© Paul Steeves These two baby great blue herons survived a fall from their nests in the rookery on Tsawwassen First Nation land.

The two that survived have damage to their central nervous system as well as small wounds and scratches.

“Right now, they’re doing well,” Stephenson said. “We’re feeding them every 45 minutes from dawn to dusk.”

The rookery in Tsawwassen near the ferry spit is the largest in the region with 350 to 450 nests, which represent about 12 per cent of the country’s population of Pacific great blue herons.

In 2008, herons were described as a species of “special concern” in a status report. It estimated there were upwards of 5,000 nesting adults in the country.


A senior species at risk biologist for Environment and Climate Change Canada said in an earlier story that Pacific great blue herons are an “indicator species.

“It’s one of these species that exists at the top of the food chain and is susceptible to pollutants and changes in food supply,” said Ross Vennesland . “It represents an indicator of ecosystem health.”

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