Despite advent of duck ramps, 80 die in 48hrs

http://wjla.com/news/local/lincoln-...e-drained-cleaned-after-80-ducks-die-in-water

Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to be drained, cleaned after 80 ducks die in water

WASHINGTON (ABC7) — Eighty ducks have allegedly died in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool within a matter of two days, the National Park Service reports.

From May 20 to May 21, approximately 80 ducks were found deceased in the Reflecting Pool, a press release reads.

Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool will be drained Sunday to clean, treat parasite that's affecting duck population. http://go.nps.gov/ov5mcn


NPS says a necropsy performed on the ducks revealed their death was caused by "high levels of parasites that developed and grew in snails that live in the pool."

Chemicals alone are not sufficient enough to fully reduce the parasite and snail population, so the pool must be drained and cleaned, NPS says.

NPS says humans who come into contact with the parasite could develop a "swimmer's itch:" an allergic reaction in the form of a skin rash. They say it is not contagious and rarely requires medical attention.

It will take around two days for the pool to be fully drained, NPS says. Crews are set to clean the pool on Tuesday, June 13 and the pool is expected to begin refilling on Friday, June 16.

The parasites mentioned:

Spoiler: gross

 

[CWCchange]

The only "swamp" full of parasites to be drained in Washington so far.

 

[millais]

So the takeaway is that the ducklings would not have been able to get in the reflecting pool and be infected with the fatal parasite if big government had not installed the ramp infrastructure in the first place. Now big government has to step in to correct a problem that wouldn't have existed without big government's intervention in the first place. Libertarians vindicated

 

[neverendingmidi]

I wonder if the whole refurbishment they did was supposed to use the tides to change out the water ended up causing this?

 

[AnOminous]

The Internet is turning ducks gay!

 

[Male Idiot]

The Internet is turning ducks gay!

Ducks were gay before the internet!

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2005/mar/08/highereducation.research

 

[Positron]

NPS says a necropsy performed on the ducks revealed their death was caused by "high levels of parasites that developed and grew in snails that live in the pool.

Some sort of trematode larvae I presume? These things breed asexually in huge numbers.

 

[DatBepisTho]

I heard this on the radio, but didn't think that dead ducks/ducklings were what prompted it.

I sort of assumed this was something that usually happened every so often and this time, it just so happened to be a breeding ground for parasites.

 

[cuddle striker]

I heard this on the radio, but didn't think that dead ducks/ducklings were what prompted it.

I sort of assumed this was something that usually happened every so often and this time, it just so happened to be a breeding ground for parasites.

it happens in natural pools but not so concentrated. most ponds and pools that are natural, have both drainage and other small creatures that will keep the parasite's numbers in check. wild forest ponds or pools often also have periods in high summer when they dry up- killing them off. Ducks aren't there then, but after drying out then wintering over, it's relatively safe come spring.

man-made ponds and pools need to be maintained in ways that mimic nature, and this pool was built before that was really a thing. they're trying to reverse-engineer it, and failed this time.

I'd bet they're these:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90832163

invasive snail species play a part, in that they can survive with a higher load of parasites than native snails, this makes the infection more deadly to the ducks that eat them.