When Ben Lekander and Simeon Kubacz (aged 12) went on a family boat camping trip to Lee’s Point on Lake Pend Oreille, the last thing they expected was to discover an environmental catastrophe that very few people know about.
The boys were exploring the marsh using a drone when they came across a distressing sight, a juvenile loon was trapped in the seaweed, seemingly paralyzed and shaking. The boys knew that seeing a loon at this time of year is extremely rare, so they waded into the reeds and used a knife to cut the bird free and carried it back to the camp, where they realized the loon had a deformed, bloody foot and couldn’t move. They fed him bass they had caught and wrapped him safely in a towel.
With the help of Ben’s dad and stepmom, they called multiple wildlife sanctuaries until they found someone who could rehabilitate the bird that they had named “Toonie the Loonie.”
They rushed by boat back to the mainland, where they met a conservationist who took the bird to get X-rays to see what was causing Toonie’s symptoms. It was discovered that Toonie had severe lead poisoning due to ingesting numerous lead sinkers, as well as a hook embedded in his foot, and he had to be humanely euthanized by a veterinarian.
(L-R) Ben Lekander and Simeon Kubacz. Courtesy photo
They were shocked and heartbroken to discover how common using lead sinkers is and that there are no regulations in the state of Idaho preventing the poisoning of our environment with lead fishing equipment. Currently, only six states have laws restricting the use of lead, including: Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont and Washington.
Lead is particularly dangerous to loons because they often swallow lead weights mistaking them for small pebbles, which help them digest food. Lead poisoning is the leading cause of death in loons, making up roughly 25%-49% of all loon mortalities.
Despite loons being protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which prevents the hunting, harassment or harm of the species, it is seemingly ignored that they are being poisoned at such an alarming rate.
After the death of Toonie, the boys’ heartbreak soon turned into motivation to make a change that could impact the future of these beautiful birds. Ben and Simeon are writing politicians in Idaho to ask for regulations regarding lead usage in fishing, as well as to raise awareness of the risks of lead and where to buy safe lead-free alternatives such as Dave’s Tangle Free and Dr. Fish.
The boys feel strongly that it is our responsibility as anglers to protect our beautiful state and the majestic animals with which we share this land.
This article was written by Megan Lekander, with the help of Ben Lekander and Simeon Kubacz.
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