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Maine Audubon's annual loon count numbers are up from last year

A loon at Jordan Pond in Acadia National Park on June 3, 2024.
Esta Pratt-Kielley
/
Maine Public
A loon at Jordan Pond in Acadia National Park on June 3, 2024.

Maine Audubon said its annual loon count numbers are up slightly from last year, at 3,146 adults and 420 chicks.

Melissa Kim, a representative from the Maine Audubon, said keeping track of the loons helps measure the species health but also the health of their environment.

"They're an iconic species, but they're a little bit of an indicator too. So we think if loons are healthy, that means, in general, that the lakes are healthy," Kim said.

She said an increase in volunteer numbers allowed data gathering at more than 25 extra lakes this year.

"When you talk to people, they feel very protective and possessive over their loons. You talk to people who live on a lake, they think of them as ours," Kim said.

Kim said recent regulatory changes such as the elimination of certain lead tackle sizes and laws to reduce boat wakes have contributed to the growth of the loon population.

Journalist Madi Smith is Maine Public's Emerging Voices Journalism Fellow this year and is sponsored by support from the Abbagadassett Foundation.