CHARITY URGES CANAL VISITORS TOFEED DUCKS HEALTHY SNACKS

The Canal & River Trust, the charity that cares for the Kennet & Avon Canal, is urging visitors to Hungerford Wharf to ditch the bread and feed healthy snacks to the ducks.

Working with Hungerford Town Council the Canal & River Trust is asking local people to help improve the diets of ducks and swans by feeding them natural treats such as leafy greens, sweetcorn, oats and vegetables.

Hungerford Wharf is a great spot for families to enjoy but feeding bread to ducks is bad for their diets. Any leftover bread attracts vermin and having too many birds in one place creates an excess of bird droppings. Bread is often left floating in the water encouraging algae which can be harmful to birds and fish.

Caroline Robson, from the Canal & River Trust, said: “Getting up close to the wildlife on our waterways is one of the simple joys of being on the canal and feeding the ducks is a great family activity. We would like visitors to think about what they are feeding the ducks and to ask them to make a small change to improve their diets. Ducks need a varied diet and feeding them bread is a bit like giving them a pizza everyday which isn’t good for their health.”

Helen Simpson, Mayor of Hungerford Town Council, said: “Hungerford Wharf is a really popular spot to feed the ducks. However, we have noticed that left over bread has been attracting vermin, such as rats and feral pigeons, which isn’t nice for the visitors. By changing what we feed the ducks our wildlife gets to enjoy a healthier diet, and we also reduce the problem of having left over bits of bread and food at the wharf area.”

For more information on the Canal & River Trust, including finding out how you can support our work by donating money or volunteering with us visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uk

-ENDS-