Dear Editor:
Did you know trumpeter swans were nearly extinct from the 1880s until 1983. That is close to a century! And they are native to Ontario.
It is almost commonplace to see the swans in Erin, Lake Roman, Hillsburgh Mill Pond and the Grand River in Elora.
We have Jim and Norma Soul, a local couple, to thank, as they became involved as licensed volunteers with the Trumpeter Swan Restoration Program in 1993. With the efforts of Mr. and Mrs. Soul it took 15 long years before the first cygnets (babies) were born to their bonded swans.
Upon learning of a recent death of a cygnet in Stanley Park, I wanted to bring awareness about the trumpeter swans fragile comeback. The population is growing in Ontario and even into the U.S.; the next step is to keep this population healthy and well cared for.
Keeping them safe involves not feeding them bread, keeping dogs on a leash around ponds and spreading awareness.
You can discover more about our feathered friends at www.patreon.com/margaritbrigham.
Margarit Brigham,
Erin