The common loon is the call of wilderness and a Canadian symbol of cottage life. Our lakes are over populated and poisoning from lead fishing tackle is one of the leading causes of mortality in the adult common loon. The presence or absence of the loon is an indicator of the current and future state of our lakes and wildlife. This is not just a pretty picture of a loon taking off on the lake. It is symbolic of what is at stake if we don’t take care of the future of our wildlife and the environment.