More wildlife returning as Detroit River distances itself further from a polluted past

The Detroit River continues to regain some of its former wildlife.

Excerpt from the Detroit News:

From bald eagles to lake sturgeon, native wildlife is making a dramatic return in what might be considered the unlikeliest of places -- the waters and shores of the Detroit River.

Despite its spotty past and highly developed present, efforts to curb pollutants have produced a resurgence visible this spring in bird, fish and animal populations that had long been absent from this integral 32-mile waterway in southeastern Michigan.

After decades of struggling to overcome the Detroit River's polluted past, a variety of fish and bird species have re-established themselves in the watershed. The budding osprey population is joined by increasing numbers of walleye, lake sturgeon and lake whitefish as well as bird species like the bald eagle and peregrine falcon.

"This is clearly one of the most unique ecological recovery stories in North American history," said John Hartig, manager of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge on Grosse Ile. "If you look at how polluted we were ... holy cow, have we come a long way."

Read the entire article here.