Alberta Fish and Wildlife is investigating after a man was recorded appearing to shoot a type of firework at wildlife on a lake in Grande Prairie.
Facebook user Steve Kenney shared photos and videos on June 18 of a man shooting fireworks at Crystal Lake, where several swans and geese were floating.
“Welcome to the Swan City, unless you get too close to this (guy’s) back yard,” he wrote in the post.
“No swans or geese were hurt. At this time I do believe he was chasing the swan away from the baby geese, but he still can’t do what he did.
“It had to be posted.”
Kennedy told CTV News Edmonton he filmed the videos between 9:30 and 10 p.m. on Monday, June 17. He was watching the wildlife settle after a thunderstorm and happened to catch the incident on video.
He has submitted all the photos and videos to Fish and Wildlife.
The department identified the swan in the video as a trumpeter swan, a non-game wildlife species protected by Alberta’s Wildlife Act. As such, it is illegal to kill or harass trumpeter swans, or disturb.
“Harassing migratory birds is illegal under both provincial (the Wildlife Act) and federal legislation (the Migratory Game Birds Act), and can result in a fine, jail time, or both, for adults,” Fish and Wildlife said in a statement.
Others who may have witnessed the incident are asked to call the Grande Prairie Fish and Wildlife office at 780-538-5265 or the Report a Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800.
With files from Amanda Anderson
