Rubber Ducks On UK Lakes
Environmentalists have been campaigning this week for more awareness of the growing problem of rubber ducks in our waterways.
“Over the last few years they have started breeding on a large scale and are threatening our native ducks as they compete for nesting space and food”, said Mike Carroll, head of the British Waterways Nature Trust.
“The introduction of a few individuals went largely unnoticed initially, but following a good breeding season in the spring coupled with increased food supply, the ducks have really taken off.”
Most of the culprits are arriving from China or Taiwan, where they often fall prey to young children or dogs. But here in the UK, with tighter restrictions on dogs in parkland, these ducks have no real natural predators. Other individuals, imported for the largely underworld sport of ‘hook the duck’ have been released from fairgrounds and theme parks into many local rivers, warranting control measures to be stepped up.
But pro-duck lobby groups have been against the control of these birds, which are easily recognised by their bright yellow plumage and vacant happy expression. Marty Simes from ‘Duck Action’ said the visitors were “a colourful addition to the British countryside” and called for a rethink in future policy.
However, the Royal Association for the Protection of Birds issued a statement asking members of the public to be vigilant and to report nesting yellow ducks to the authorities. A spokesperson said, “these ducks are just the latest in a long line of introduced species to cause havoc to our native wildlife, they must be stopped before the situation gets out of hand”.
Government officials would be keen act fast to prevent a national cull from occurring which inevitably upsets the public. Last year, there were angry scenes outside the German government headquarters after officials called for humane control of teddy bears following a population explosion in Bavaria caused by recent unusually mild winters.
In May, US officials spent huge amounts of money culling a herd of Weebles that had been introduced to the ecologically sensitive island of Hawaii. Colonel Saunders, leading the cull, commented at the time, “they wobbled, but they just wouldn’t fall down”.
“Over the last few years they have started breeding on a large scale and are threatening our native ducks as they compete for nesting space and food”, said Mike Carroll, head of the British Waterways Nature Trust.
“The introduction of a few individuals went largely unnoticed initially, but following a good breeding season in the spring coupled with increased food supply, the ducks have really taken off.”
Most of the culprits are arriving from China or Taiwan, where they often fall prey to young children or dogs. But here in the UK, with tighter restrictions on dogs in parkland, these ducks have no real natural predators. Other individuals, imported for the largely underworld sport of ‘hook the duck’ have been released from fairgrounds and theme parks into many local rivers, warranting control measures to be stepped up.
But pro-duck lobby groups have been against the control of these birds, which are easily recognised by their bright yellow plumage and vacant happy expression. Marty Simes from ‘Duck Action’ said the visitors were “a colourful addition to the British countryside” and called for a rethink in future policy.
However, the Royal Association for the Protection of Birds issued a statement asking members of the public to be vigilant and to report nesting yellow ducks to the authorities. A spokesperson said, “these ducks are just the latest in a long line of introduced species to cause havoc to our native wildlife, they must be stopped before the situation gets out of hand”.Government officials would be keen act fast to prevent a national cull from occurring which inevitably upsets the public. Last year, there were angry scenes outside the German government headquarters after officials called for humane control of teddy bears following a population explosion in Bavaria caused by recent unusually mild winters.
In May, US officials spent huge amounts of money culling a herd of Weebles that had been introduced to the ecologically sensitive island of Hawaii. Colonel Saunders, leading the cull, commented at the time, “they wobbled, but they just wouldn’t fall down”.
[Click pictures to enlarge]
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