An adolescent osprey found with lead poisoning in Golden Ears Provincial Park was released back into the wild on Wednesday.
Julie Bryson, a volunteer with OWL, Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society in Delta, was called out to the park on July 4, when campers discovered the lethargic, disoriented bird along the shore of Alouette Lake.
Bryson could tell right away the raptor had lead poisoning and took him to OWL where he underwent treatment.
The osprey was poisoned by the lead weights used for fishing. The weights that are crimped onto the fishing lines fall off if they are not attached properly or if the line hits a rock. Fish eat the weights and osprey, birds that eat only fish, ingest the lead as it makes its way up the food chain.
After a week of treatment, the osprey was tested again for lead and his reading was low meaning that most of the lead, if not all of it had been removed.
It was released back into Golden Ears Park in case he has a mate or family in the area.