Don’t feed bread to ducks
experienced Botulism in 1998
The storm water collection ponds of Maroondah are man made, and do not flush through easily, they also warm readily in hot weather as they are not very deep. Any food in excess of what ducks eat, becomes nutrient sediment and this along with warm water, provides suitable conditions for bacteria to proliferate. It is perfect for anerobic bacteria – ones that do not require oxygen. The most common of these is Botulism. Ducks ingest the bacteria from the bottom whilst foraging for worms and other natural food. The toxin produced by this bacteria, is a nerve toxin and it paralyses muscles first in the wings and feet and then in the ducks neck, where it cannot hold it’s head above water, and it drowns.
I guess you could call this drowning caused by botox neck!
Other negative effects
• Artificially fed ducks emit a parasite causing a condition
in humans called Swimmer’s Itch.
3.) Ducks defacate at the site of scattered food or bread, bacteria in feces creates much higher risks for illness or disease.
4.) Most waterfowl die-offs in the past 10 years have been attributed to artificial feeding.
5.) Food waste bobbing on the water’s edge is ugly.
6.) Ducks that are overfed create dangerous amounts of waste that harms fish and other animals living in ponds