Tina House
APTN National News
An Elder in British Columbia says the sight of hundreds of eagles joining seagulls and crows around a Vancouver landfill is an ominous sign.
For weeks, hundreds of eagles have converged on the landfill and neighbouring company that grows turf for residential lawns.
“It’s kinda sad in a way because their food source has been contaminated in terms of pollution in the water,” said Elder Seisl’om. “The devastation of the salmon stocks and also their habitat it being destroyed in
terms of logging and also in terms of development so in a sense they got to come to garbage dumps.”
In B.C. it’s quite normal to see eagles along riverbanks feasting on salmon or the ocean shoreline.
But last year B.C.’s salmon count on the famed Fraser River was one of the lowest in history forcing the birds search elsewhere for food.
Elder Seisl’om said the dump is no place for the majestic eagle.
“In terms of our ceremonies our rituals our dances our songs, to remember the legends and the stories that we were told as children about the eagle and that he’s the one who carries our prayers to the creator,” he said.
Fifteen years ago I was at the Whitehorse City Dump. I talked to the guy at the gate and asked about the two rows of 8′ electrified chain link fence. I asked if the garbage was that rich here that it needed protection. He said it kept the grizzlies from coming thru town to get to the dump. While leaving my garbage I noticed all the white grocery bags stuck to the evergreens. Looked like Christmas but it was July. There were upwards of a 100 Bald and Golden eagles eating at the dump. Apparently this was old news for locals but it fascinated me. One has to remember that eagles are part of Natures clean up crew along with the ravens, magpies, coyotes and bugs. Yes they are majestic to watch in the BC rivers and fly the with the highest of birds. They are opportunistic birds and will eat anything dead or alive.
My daughter and I were driving along near the dump and I have never seen so many Eagles in my life! Although I loved to see so many, it gave me chills because it seems so unnatural. I hope someone is noticing this…it would be horrible to lose our Eagles.
This is so sad the eagles are losing their homes. We witnessed an eagle attack a seagull for its food two weeks ago.
What a load of crap. I guess it has nothing to do with the dumping of fish waste as compost from the Richmond fish processing plant.
I SO AGREE..IN OUR CRAZY WORLD WE FORGOT TO STOP AND WATCH AND LISTEN..IF OUR CONNECTION TO THE SPIRIT WORLD HAS RESORTED TO EATING FROM LANDFILLS AS SCAVENGERS AND NOT THE HUNTERS AND MAJESTIC BIRDS THEY ARE ….. MANKIND IS IN SEROIUS TROUBLE…
some Elders have the special ability to read the cues that our winged ones bring to us, to our Elders they speak loud and clear.