Northerners hatch a plan to try and save two unborn abandoned loons
Nature lovers in northeastern Ontario share a protectiveness over the region's wildlife — and will often band together to help animals in need.
That was the case last week when people from the Town of Cobalt noticed a loon nest with two eggs inside at Bass Lake Resort, in the nearby Coleman Township, which was abandoned after the death of its mother loon.
Mita Gibson said faint chirping was coming from one of the eggs and fearing that the two unborn loons wouldn't survive, she and the Woodlands Wildlife Sanctuary in Minden, Ont., hatched a plan to save them.
"That chick may have hatched on its own and would have succumbed to predators or to a human or something like that, so that was my concern," Gibson said.
A race for survival
They decided that rushing the eggs four hours south was the best option for their survival, and they needed to act quickly and precisely.
Luckily, caring for birds has become one of Gibson's specialties. She owns chickens and said she has rehabilitated two injured robins and a crow.
So Gibson said she was fully prepared for the mission, starting with bringing the eggs straight home to be placed in an incubator at around 37 C to keep the eggs warm in place of their mother.
The next day, she packed the eggs into a cozy box, hopped in her car, and began driving south.
Nature lovers around northeastern Ontario worked together to save two abandoned loon eggs in Cobalt after their mother died. (Mita Gibson)
"I endured a ride with the windows up, no (air conditioning), just so that the car was warm enough," Gibson said.
One egg was already starting to hatch, one loon's beak pecking through its eggshell fighting to be free.
That's both a good sign and bad for the president of the Woodlands Wildlife Sanctuary, Monika Melichar, who said the race was on to get the eggs to Minden.
"We did not want the baby hatching on the road or actually getting chilled," Melichar said. "Those two factors were at play, so the quicker we could do it, the better."
Halfway-point transfer
The sanctuary arranged a transfer with a North Bay area couple, who would take the cargo the rest of the way.
Wanting to make sure the baby loons were safe, Lorrie Douglas and her husband Don made the exchange with Gibson at a coffee shop and continued the relay south.
"I had a heating pad underneath the box to keep them warm," Douglas said. "You could hear (one of the chicks) chirping, he was very vocal the whole entire ride."
The twin eggs made it safely to the sanctuary, though only one survived.
Melichar said the chick took a while to break through its shell, but early the next day it broke free in triumph.
Loonlet hatching out of its shell at Woodlands Wildlife Sanctuary. (supplied)
The team of wildlife heroes said they were relieved to see the young loon waddling, though admit that humans played a role in causing it to be abandoned in the first place.
Melichar said human activity can often distress wildlife and particularly at Bass Lake in Cobalt, Gibson estimates that there have been very few successful loon births in the past five years.
Considering the impact humans have on the environment, Douglas said people have a responsibility to help struggling animals whenever possible.
"Wildlife has so many challenges, to begin with," she said. "Any little thing that we can do to help, they need it."
Alive and healthy
The Minden sanctuary named the lucky loon 'Luna,' though the staff isn't yet sure of its sex.
Luna the loonlet is being taken care of at a Minden, Ont. wildlife sanctuary after its egg was abandoned in a nest in northern Ontario. (Woodlands Wildlife Sanctuary)
Luna has made friends with another rescued loon at the sanctuary, Gibson said, and after a week, Luna is healthy and already twice its original size.
While it was a bitter-sweet story for the orphaned loon, Gibson is glad it has a happy ending.
"I'm happy that it'll have its chance," Gibson said."We're a part of nature and the more people put that extra effort into helping creatures like this out, the better we'll all be in the end."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.