Ilkley Moor duck feeding causing biodiversity loss
The group, which has about 400 members, said the tarn could only support a single pair of ducks in its natural state and put the huge increase down to visitors feeding them."After they have eaten the food they will jump back in the water and poo," the 81-year-old said.
Mr Wells said the ducks have eaten pond weed, frogspawn and tadpoles at the tarn, with "very few if any" amphibians remaining. They group acknowledged feeding ducks was "a great pleasure for small children" but asked for families to instead feed them at the nearby River Wharfe, where the flow would wash droppings away."We want to bring life back to the tarn and that can only be done if the number of ducks is greatly reduced," he added."Let us bring back the frogs and toads and sticklebacks to this beautiful stretch of water."
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