Dozens of dead Canada geese, mallard ducks dumped in Cleveland Metroparks

BENTLEYVILLE, Ohio - Dozens of dead birds were found dead in the Cleveland Metroparks Wednesday.

The Ohio Division of Wildlife called rangers to the South Chagrin Reservation in Bentleyville at about 3:15 p.m. for an animal dumping investigation. The scene was located about a quarter mile north of the Bentleyville Police Department.

"Our state wildlife officer received a report that there were some carcasses, bird carcasses, that had been dumped in the Cleveland Metroparks," said Ohio Division of Wildlife spokesperson Jamey Emmert.

Emmert said that the officer "found 25 Canada geese and 8 mallards. They don't have any superficial wounds that we can see, so we're not sure exactly how they perished but we're going to look into it."

The carcasses had been thrown over an embankment off of Chagrin River Road into the park. Investigators located faint tire tracks in the snow and are looking for the person or people involved in the incident.

Emmert said the dead waterfowl were collected as evidence and will be taken to the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin to determine the cause of death. That determination may take up to one month.

Emmert urges anyone with wildlife issues in their neighborhood to contact ODNR for suggestions and advice on how to deal with the problem before it escalates out of control.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Cleveland Metroparks rangers or the Ohio Division of Wildlife at 1-800-POACHER (1-800-762-2437).