Bangor: A New England loon has died from avian malaria, according to researchers who believe this to be the first known case of a loon dying of the tropical disease.
The loon was found floating last summer on Lake Umbagog, a 7-mile-long lake straddling the New Hampshire and Maine border, and was quickly brought to scientists for examination. In less than a week, the avian malaria was detected, surprising wildlife biologists and stirring conversations about climate change and its future impact on wildlife....