Of Cormorants, Deer and Geese… Oh My!

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Originally appears in the Fall 2021 issue.

By Pete Salmansohn

Editor’s Note: In this latest installment in our running Finding Common Ground series, Pete Salmansohn discusses human-wildlife controversies, namely those involving Double-crested Cormorants, White-tailed Deer, and Canada Geese. I can personally relate, as I grew up in small-town southeastern Ontario, where all three species have been sources of contention for most of my life. Where, then, does the notion of finding common ground come into play? I’ve certainly witnessed numerous instances over the years where precious little common ground was found among stakeholders, at least initially. Turbulent stretches in negotiations are stressful, to be sure… and yet, they are essential parts of the process of finding a “line-of-best-fit” path forward — one developed after listening to the various considerations with empathy and an open mind and, indeed, finding some common ground. Human-wildlife controversies aren’t going anywhere, so why not ready young learners for the important discussions that will need to be had about our mutual existence with fellow life forms? The stories, examples, and tips to follow concern 5^th– and 6^th-grade students, and much can be adapted for younger and older students.

In the summer of 1998, nine men took several boat trips out to a small island in eastern Lake Ontario and shot approximately 900 cormorants and chicks on their nesting grounds. This outrageous and illegal slaughter of federally protected birds made national headlines, and as a National Audubon Society employee at the time, I was horrified, but also provoked to somehow use this event in a way that would hopefully elicit support and understanding for these increasingly common and unglamorous water birds.