What (or Who) is Killing Ducks at Girard Park? [CAUTION: IMAGES]
UPATE 5/8/2020, 5pm:
Lafayette Consolidated Government issued a press release regarding the situation with the ducks at Girard Park:
With the assistance of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries and the Acadiana Wildlife Education and Rehab Organization, information is being gathered relative to the duck population at Girard Park. The spring/summer season annually results in an increased population of ducks at this location. The Lafayette Consolidated Government/Parks and Recreation Department owns the property, but not the ducks and does not have any employed veterinary professionals on staff. They are gifts from citizens in our community. The public is asked to assist by not dropping of any ducks to Girard Park and refrain from feeding them with items that could pose a threat to their safety. - Lafayette Consolidated Government press release
ORIGINAL STORY:
Over the past week, people have been finding dead or sick ducks at Girard Park, but what (or who) is killing the ducks?
In a Facebook post, Caleb Meaux includes several pictures of dead ducks at the park, and also videos of an obviously sick or injured duck.
Some of the ducks have been picked up and taken to a veterinarian and, after an initial evaluation, the veterinarian is thinking that it's an "organic phosphate poisoning".
The vet is pointing towards organic phosphate poisoning please share and get the media’s attention. If something is in the water why are people still fishing from the pond? - Caleb Meaux, Facebook
In the posted videos, it's obvious that this duck is sick or debilitated in some way:
In the post, Caleb lists a few rescue organizations that have taken in the ducks that are clinging to their lives to try to nurse them back to health, and he has included links in case anyone would like to help by making a donation.
Caleb raises a few good questions in the post: what (or who) is killing the ducks, and why are people still being allowed to fish (and, assumably, consuming the catch) at Girard Park?