Deadly Filament

I was enjoying this peaceful view of the lake one morning when I noticed something glint in the sunlight. Oh no! It was a fishing line dangling from a tree, a sight I hate to see.

Wildlife, be it turtles swimming underwater, loons diving for food or birds foraging in overhanging branches, doesn't notice the invisible thread left behind by careless fishing practices. Once entangled, their instinct is to try and free themselves, but they usually become even more ensnared and lacerated. Many struggling critters become exhausted, and are unable to feed or defend themselves. Rescuers have found birds hanging upside-down on a branch, caught by fishing line, unable to fly off and feed, or right themselves. A hook can become embedded in a diving bird's bill, with the rest of the line caught on a submerged branch, drowning the bird, since it cannot surface. The amputation of limbs or strangulation from tightly wrapped fishing line is a slow, painful and totally unnecessary suffering that can be eliminated if we pick up after ourselves. A pet peeve of mine ...

I've highlighted the fishing line I spied in the branches in the pic below, a hazard that can easily be removed with a little time and patience. I used a branch from the shore to loop and pull the thread, and when it was close enough for me to grip, I pulled the branches towards me, and broke off the twigs around which it was twisted. Most people have a knife or scissors in their tackle box, so there's no excuse to leave it behind once entangled.

I ended up with a lot of discarded line that posed an unnecessary danger to other lifeforms. Can we learn to show more consideration for other beings, and take the time to clean up after ourselves? It's not that difficult to do!

 

A hidden danger

Discarded fishing line glints -

Hazard for wildlife.