The ducks in the Peace Park have become a constant in the daily life of Vila. Their presence in the pond and the walks of families who come to feed them are part of the urban landscape. However, this apparently harmless custom is generating public health problems and environmental imbalances in the area.
The Animal Welfare area of the City Council has asked citizens to stop feeding these animals, since the remains of bread that are not consumed accumulate in the pond and in the surrounding area, favoring the appearance of cockroaches, rats and pigeons. In addition, bread is not a suitable food for these birds, as it does not provide them with the necessary nutrients and can cause diseases and malformations.
Control and balance in the population
The duck population in the park is under municipal veterinary supervision. At the beginning of the year there were about 40 specimens, but the number has been reduced to 15 to maintain a balance that guarantees the hygienic conditions of the pond and the environment. Overpopulation not only deteriorates the ecosystem, but also endangers the health and safety of the animals themselves, which may suffer stress or be exposed to attacks by others, such as dogs walking in the area.
Animal abandonment, a prohibited practice
The City Council has recalled that it was not the administration that introduced the ducks into the park, but that many of them came from citizen abandonment. The pond has also found
Cleaning
In the coming days, the City Council will carry out the annual cleaning of the pond, during which new abandoned animals are often found. The authorities remind that the Peace Park is neither a place to leave pets nor to release animals, and that feeding the ducks, although it may seem a kind gesture, harms both the birds and the environment.
