Algonquin Park staff are asking visitors to report sightings of loons as part of an ongoing wildlife monitoring program that dates back more than four decades.
Since 1981, both staff and the public have contributed loon observations from lakes across Algonquin Park. According to the Park, the data, originally collected to monitor the effects of acid rain, has since proven invaluable to scientists tracking long-term ecological changes.
This year, observations of adult loons, chicks, and nests are needed — along with the name of the lake and the date they were seen. Officials are especially encouraging reports from remote backcountry lakes.
“Only long-term monitoring can distinguish real trends from normal yearly fluctuations,” the park said in a statement.
Visitors are asked to submit their loon sightings through the official reporting form on the Algonquin Park website.
