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The Okanogan community is coming together to collect and offer a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the death of the Loons at Beaver Lake, Okanogan County, WA.
Current Reward Offered: $8000+ Contributions in the form of money order or personal check can be made to Columbiana, a 501c3 non-profit organization who will manage the fund. Mail to: Columbiana 2055 Chesaw Rd., Oroville, WA 98844 Call for more info: 509-560-0742 |
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Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) seeks information on common loons killed in Okanogan County... read the press release.
Text tips to: 847411 Report to WDFW online at: https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/enforcement/report https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/enforcement/report |
Senseless Shootings Claim the Lives of an Entire Common Loon Family
at Beaver Lake, Okanogan County, Washington
by Daniel Poleschook, Jr. and Virginia R. Poleschook
Field Scientists, Biodiversity Research Institute
June 25, 2024
Field Scientists, Biodiversity Research Institute
June 25, 2024
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An entire family of four Common Loons was shot at Beaver Lake (48.850, -118.971) in Okanogan County in remote northeastern Washington late Friday, June 21, 2024. Carcasses of the two territorial adults and one chick of the season were recovered, while searching for the second chick continues. The shootings occurred from the former Beaver Lake Campground on the southeastern end of the lake. Witnesses from the campground at northwestern end off the lake reported hearing shots fired from that direction.
Common Loons are one of the most adored and admired wildlife species in North America. Disposing of Common Loons takes away joy from those that enjoy watching wildlife. A 2022 Washington survey of recreation activities reported, 6.2 million people watched wildlife, 1.2 million fished, and 0.3 million hunted. The adult male that was shot had been the territorial male at Beaver Lake for 11 seasons since 2013 and had fathered 14 young during that period. He was banded as #0689-09467 by biologists and field scientists from Biodiversity Research Institute, who were assisted by biologists from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the United States Forest Service on July 23, 2023. This was only the second season for the territorial female who had produced two chicks in 2023 and also in 2024. The Common Loon (Gavia immer) is listed as a “State Sensitive” species in Washington and is protected in the United States as a migratory, non-game species by state and federal laws. There are presently only 12 nesting pairs of Common Loons this year in northeastern Washington, and an unknown, but fewer number of nesting pairs west of the Cascade Mountains. |
The present low population of nesting Common Loon pairs in Washington has been increasing very slowly from four pairs in 1995, when research, providing recommendations and conservation measures, and compiling records for the species began by the authors, to the current approximately 20 nesting pairs.
Common Loons reproduce very slowly and are sensitive to nesting disturbances. Their breeding population has been extirpated from northern California, Oregon, and Idaho, while small populations persist in Montana and Washington in the Northwest on the southwestern limit of their breeding range in North America. The authors have maintained a list of more than 120 known Common Loon mortalities in Washington since 1995. There have been five known shooting mortality incidents during that era, involving five adult Common Loons and three chicks. There is a $2000.00 fine for shooting a Common Loon in Washington, stated as: Fish and Wildlife Code RCW 77.15.130. The total fine in this incident will be $8,000.00. Reward money successfully led to apprehension and prosecution on one of those previous cases. A growing amount of reward money is also being offered in this case for the recent egregious mass shootings of the Beaver Lake Common Loon family. Daniel Poleschook, Jr., and Virginia R. Poleschook Conducting Common Loon Research in our 30th season Field Scientists, Biodiversity Research Institute [email protected], [email protected] 509-939-2748, 509-939-9699 |
