HOUSTON, Texas – While they are considered invasive, local wildlife officials say they aren’t planning to kill off any of the Muscovy ducks that roam around Hermann Park, but rather try to get them to leave peacefully.
That’s where they say the public comes in. They’re asking people to stop feeding the ducks.
Thursday, officials with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department sent us a statement partly stating the ducks are “causing numerous issues at the park, including food and feces being scattered along the sidewalks and grassy areas, impaired water quality of the ponds, and injury to the domestic and wild ducks and geese.” It went on to say, “Muscovy ducks compete with native wildlife, cause property damage, and are responsible for the transmission of disease.“
”I mean, it never really bothered me so much,” said golfer Peter Hsu. “I mean, I think for some people, they think that they might be a nuisance,”
”I think they should just relocate them,” said park-goer Darryl Columbus.
But, officials say federal guidelines restrict the possibility of relocating these particular ducks. However, they say once the ducks are deprived of human food at the park they’ll fly to a new location of their choice.
It’s already clear they will be missed.
”I think they like the fact they can come out and have the kids feed the little ducks, squirrels, and all that kind of stuff,” Columbus said.
The Hermann Park Conservancy says it’s working on a project to convert several acres of turfgrass into a native habitat that will support wildlife like the Muscovy ducks so they can live in peace and not be a danger to anyone or anything.