Saranac Lake, NY (June 22, 2017) - The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Adirondack Program announces a call for volunteers to survey loons on Adirondack lakes as part of the 17^th Annual Adirondack Loon Census. The event will take place on Saturday, July 15, 2017, from 8:00-9:00 a.m. Participants can choose which lake in the Adirondacks they want to survey when they sign up.

With the help of local Adirondack residents and visitor volunteers, the census enables WCS to collect important data on the status of the breeding loon population in and around the Adirondack Park and across New York State. The results guide management decisions and policies affecting loons.  

During the census, volunteers will report on the number of adult and immature loons and loon chicks that they observe. Other states will conduct similar loon censuses simultaneously, and the results will be collated to create a regional overview of the loon’s population status.

 Anyone interested in volunteering can learn how to sign up by visiting www.wcsadirondacks.org , or by calling 518-891-8874 ext. 106 or emailing wcsaccp@gmail.com.  

 “We gain an important regional picture of the loon population each year through the Annual Loon Census,” says Zoë Smith, Director of WCS’s Adirondack Program.  “We are indebted to the hundreds of volunteers who participate as citizen scientists in this important research.  Only through the participation of this dedicated group of volunteers, are we able to assemble so much valuable information to help guide future management decisions.” 

For press inquiries or to talk with the WCS scientists involved, please contact Scott Smith at 718-220-3698 or ssmith@wcs.org.

For live updates, follow @wcs_adirondacks on Twitter and Instagram!

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