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SSP |
Hello Mike. I’m sure you
have many anecdotes of your experiences with the swans
of Lost Lagoon over the years; are there any you’d like
to share with us?
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| MM |
Freeze-ups of Lost
Lagoon: Over the years, we’ve had several
freeze-ups, and could count on no end of excitement.
Swans will often hunker down on the ice, sometimes just
resting, as they wait out the cold spell, conserving
body heat (they are well insulated) and energy.
In those early days, I
risked my safety – sliding out with a boat or dinghy to
reach the swans or even crawling on the ice, only to
have them get up and walk away as I arrived to rescue
them.
One winter in the ‘70s when
the lagoon was completely iced over, we even sent a
tractor out to scrape the snow off the ice. It was only
part way across the ice when everyone realized that the
‘sinking feeling’ they had was for real – the machine
broke through the ice and sank, ending up two thirds
submerged! We had to get a crane to pull the tractor
out!
Over time, I have learned
that unlike, say, a hummingbird that needs constant
nourishment, the swans - who are very large - can
sustain themselves for some time without the usual
nourishment from the lagoon.
Nevertheless, dozens of
calls come in from people certain that the swans are in
danger, and urging immediate rescue. Remember, swans are
genetically designed to endure and survive the cold in
much more frigid regions than the West Coast. And the
cold period here lasts only for a brief while.
Ice on the Lagoon (Dec 17. 2005)
Overcrowding: When we
had the 70+ swans (including cygnets) on the lagoon in
the 1970s, we had zoo-keepers and security staff to
patrol the lagoon, and it got pretty hectic, trying to
keep the swans from injuring and killing each other as
they constantly fought for food, mates and territory.
We actually had cases of
aggressive swans injuring people, mostly with their
wings – a blow from a swan’s wing can be very painful.
Swans are even capable of breaking an arm. The current
swans in the lagoon are ‘way more docile.
|
| SSP |
Mike, I understand you
actually saved some swans from destruction a few years
ago. Can you tell us about that?
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| MM |
Yes, that would have been
about 5 years ago. The Canadian Wildlife Services (CWS)
is always concerned with the potential for an introduced
species such as mute swans (Eurasian origins)
interbreeding with native species such as the
Tundra/Whistler or Trumpeter swan. The CWS planned to
remove the mute swans that had colonized at the Fraser
River, which meant either destroying them or finding
them a home. At that time, they contacted me, asking if
I’d be interested in taking them – the condition being
that they would be pinioned. As we needed “new blood” at
the Lagoon (to increase the gene pool), I accepted:
Pinioning was done, and the swans introduced to Lost
Lagoon.
|
| SSP |
Why would inbreeding be
bad?
|
| MM |
The Canadian wildlife
Service would probably be best to address this question,
but it’s pretty clear that the development of
cross-breeds could create problems: Sometimes hybrids,
which are generally stronger and breed more frequently,
can become very aggressive and supplant the existing
native species in their habitat. It upsets the
ecological balance. We have not seen much hybridization
among swans so far and this is good. By comparison,
there is much hybridization among Mallard ducks.
|
| SSP |
I believe you were
involved in the building of the islands in Lost Lagoon
(West side) …..
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| MM |
Yes, I was involved in the
construction of the permanent islands; this was part of
a student work initiative around 1973. It was hoped the
swans would use these islands as nesting sites, and
although it was never a choice area for them, they did
use the islands for nesting in the beginning because
there were so many swans at the Lagoon and nesting sites
were rare. But the swans moved to other areas later on
as their population decreased.
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Note from SSP:
In this picture are two of the islands
that Mike is referring to: The mass of green vegetation
on the left is an island as is the small round green mass just
to the right, mirrored in the water.
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| SSP |
When did you first start
working with the Parks Department?
|
| MM |
I began at Stanley Park in
the early 70s, first working at the Children’s Farmyard,
and was later Assistant Manager for the Zoo.
|
| SSP |
How have things changed
since you were first here?
|
| MM |
Overcrowding:
In the
‘60s and ‘70s there was an artificially large population
of mute swans - an introduced species - at the Lagoon:
over 70 swans and cygnets at any given time. The Parks
Board of that day encouraged having a great many swans.
Now, the emphasis is on
space requirements – here’s an example: the space
recommended for a single pair of trumpeter swans for
breeding and nesting is one thousand acres – that’s the
entire area of Stanley Park! It’s much better for the
swans to have more space than to live in an overcrowded
environment where they constantly have to fight for
food, mates and nesting sites.
Less control:
The
problems of the Lagoon are much the same as before, but
with the growing urban population of Vancouver and less
provision for security and predator control, the area is
not as secure as it was back then. The swans have to
live as semi-wild birds without the protection they once
had. For example, people bring their dogs to the Lagoon
and loose dogs are a major threat to the swans. People
sometimes also interfere with the swans.
|
| SSP |
Is it harder to cope now
than previously?
|
| MM |
No, not really. The swans
pretty well fend for themselves.
Feeding:
Ziggy Jones,
our Wildlife Technician, monitors the swans and
supplements with limited feeding.
Although we also feed the
other birds on a limited basis, it’s important to know
that overfeeding in the lagoon can alter the path of
migratory birds as they are attracted by the food and
their flight is interrupted, if not stopped entirely.
Many years ago, we used to throw tons of wheat in the
Lagoon for the fowl but that had the negative result of
discouraging them from leaving the Lagoon in due course
to pursue their migratory flights.
Reduction in number of
swans:
The fact that there are fewer swans now
(compared to the sixties and seventies) is an
improvement because they now have more territory.
|
| SSP |
Do you have special
concerns?
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| |
Safety and security
are always an issue, with so many competing interests
such as dogs, predators, etc.
Few swans:
Because
there are now few swans, another point is the decline in
numbers and breeding opportunities. Genetics are
important, and “new blood” is needed from time to time.
Nesting:
The biggest
problems normally arise during the mating and nesting
season (conflicts for mate selection and nest sites),
the incubation of eggs – the need to protect from both
predators and people, because the Lagoon is unsupervised
for a large portion of the day.
Nutrition is not a
problem because the Lagoon provides most of their food.
|
| SSP |
We wondered if it would
be possible to add a little protection at nesting time
by having the mesh extended over the top of the nests as
well as in front?
|
| MM |
That’s a difficult one to
answer… There’s a limited amount you can do to ensure
their safety. They have the option of building their
nests in the more secluded areas; in the event they
build by the road or in another dangerous spot, those
nests are moved by Ziggy to a better location.
It’s best to leave them on
their own. Ziggy keeps an eye out, but it’s really up to
the swans to choose places not exposed to as much risk.
Again, in general, our philosophy is to leave them
alone: If they succeed, it is good. If they don't, there
is always next year…
|
| SSP |
Do you have any advice
for those people who manage pinioned swans?
|
| MM |
Basically what we try to do
here is to provide the swans with opportunities for
living as naturally as possible: fresh water,
opportunities for breeding, available food sources, in
addition to a safe and secure environment.
|
| SSP |
What is your vision for
the future of Lost Lagoon?
|
| MM |
Wetlands:
I would
like to see the continuation of what has already been
started, such as the Wetlands created in the north
corner of the lagoon (near the causeway) that has native
vegetation.
It’s important to encourage
the use of the area by diverse species of wildlife, and
we’ve already seen species re-introduced that had been
missing before:
songbirds and waterfowl
such as the hooded merganser,
as well as muskrat, river otter and even beaver
The Wetlands act as a filter
and is important in ensuring water purity and provides
protection of the natural habitat.
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Note from SSP:
This looks toward the North of the Lagoon ( the highway
crosses Stanley Park behind the fountain). The Wetlands
are located between the fountain and the left of the
picture.
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Signage:
We need to
continue adding informational signage; these educate and
enhance people’s enjoyment of the environment.
Education:
An
important part of our mandate is teaching and giving
people a sense of appreciation of what they have,
because people tend to take care of what they like.
Security
is always an issue – no matter what you do in a large
city like Vancouver, you’re basically relying on people
taking responsibility for their actions.
|
| SSP |
We’ve been hearing
stories of birds infected with the avian ‘flu virus in
countries of eastern Europe, and wonder if it’s a
concern to you at this time?
|
| MM |
Not at the moment. For one
thing, wild birds’ immune systems are much stronger than
domestically-raised species or genetically altered
commercial poultry.
There is a strain of the H5
virus that’s been identified in a number of birds in
Canada, and actually it’s fairly common – it doesn’t
kill; their immune system protects them.
The problem has been in
commercially raised poultry, and the virus is probably
more deadly in the case of genetically-altered species,
and the way in which commercial poultry are raised
lowers their immunity to such a virus.
At the moment I think that
the risk to people from the birds of Lost Lagoon is
minimal.
|
| SSP |
What would you like to tell people who visit our
website?
|
| MM |
That the swans are not
dependent on humans for survival. The very best way to
make the most of a visit is to enjoy them from a
distance, appreciate them, but leave them alone. Even in
the winter. |
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