News
Mission:
To protect and promote the natural, recreational and historic resources of Voyageurs National Park.
Expanding the Cormorant Study into Rainy Lake
Last year a study was developed to collect data on double-crested cormorant colonies around Lake Kabetogama, and this year the study has expanded north to include two more colonies on the Canadian side of Rainy Lake.
The study is a collaborative effort from Voyageurs National Park, The Ministry of Natural Resources and North Dakota State University. Researchers are seeking knowledge into the cormorant’s diet, population size, foraging behaviors, common diseases and migration patterns. Researchers outfit cormorants with radio transmitters that relay their location, and monitor their food intake to record their role in the park’s ecosystem.
The cormorant has been living in Voyageurs National Park since at least 1500 A.D. and is a protected species under National Park Policies. When the study began in 2008, National Park staff told Voyageurs National Park that they believe the park’s cormorant population is healthy.
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