The native wood ducks are back to cause trouble for lifeguards at Corrimal and Helensburgh pools – but this time there won’t be a Wollongong City Council executioner waiting for them.
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There was outcry last October when it was revealed council had been trapping the ducks at Corrimal and Helensburgh pools, and with permission from the National Parks and Wildlife Service had killed 15 of the birds trapped at Corrimal.
An adult duck was drowned at Helensburgh and soon afterwards its ducklings also drowned in the pool.
Council said it was trying to stop the birds becoming territorial and dirtying the pools with their droppings.
But while attempts to scare the ducks off with rubber snakes and sprinklers have not worked, the animal rescue service WIRES is involved now and the birds will be moved rather than killed.
“With the conclusion of school holidays and wrapping up of the school swimming carnival swim season, council and WIRES have started a relocation program at Helensburgh Pool,” a spokeswoman said.
“The program will move to Corrimal Pool in March once the school swimming carnival season has finished there.”
It is understood the Helensburgh ducks are being relocated to the nearby Hacking River.
