A campaign has been launched in Stanley Park to encourage people not to feed ducks and geese bread, as according to experts it can make them unwell and can lead to the debilitating disease called “angel wing”.
According to The Canal and River Trust over six million loaves of bread are fed to ducks every year in England and Wales.
A Canal and River Trust spokesperson said: “Bread’s not great for a duck’s health as it’s nothing like their natural diet so don’t over feed them with large quantities of it. Try to vary what you give them and swap it for healthier more natural treats like oats, corn, or defrosted frozen peas. And exercise portion control!”
Experts also have concerns about uneaten bread attracting vermin and enabling bacteria to grow and spread in ponds, lakes, canals and rivers.
So in a drive to educate the public about this Stanley Park volunteers will be handing out healthy duck snacks this week to park visitors.
Councillor Steve Munby Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods said “It’s great to see this campaign educating the public on what is good for our wildlife, parks and lakes, I hope people will continue to enjoy the pastime of feeding the ducks but will do so responsibly.”
To keep up to date on this project follow Stanley Park on twitter: @StanleyPark_Liv
Facebook.com/StanleyParkLiverpool or email hello@stanleypark.org.uk
