Photos by Kelly Berry
Another victim of fishing gear waste: This Western Grebe was recently found beached and wrapped in monofilament line, which causes countless injuries among aquatic birds every year. We’re currently caring for the grebe at our Los Angeles center.
Audubon California describes the problem this way:
Monofilament fishing line is an amazingly strong substance that gets snagged on many things in the environment. Little thought is given to snapping the line when it invariably gets tangled; other than “darn that was my favorite lure”.
Just look around trees and shrubs next to favorite fishing holes and see how much fishing line is strewn on the ground and snagged in the vegetation.
To protect wildlife and the environment, always take all line with you when you leave. Discarded line can snag and harm people and wildlife and kill fish, turtles, frogs, birds and small mammals.
