The articles on this page will share some background information. Please scroll down and view.

The good news is that the duck awareness program seems to be working. The main flock now numbers about 100 instead of its high point of 350 ducks. That may be due to many factors, but let's hope that it's a good sign and we do not have to use the county's euthanization permit.

Meeting with the Experts

Hyde county arranged for 6 wildlife experts to meet with us for 5 hours on May 4.   5 were from the NC Wildlife Resources Commission: a wildlife veterinarian, a wildlife biologist from the div of Wildlife Management, the NC Eastern Regional Education Specialist, the Coastal Plain Private Lands Supervisor, and the Migratory Game Bird Coordinator.  The 6th person was from the USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services.

The wildlife experts who came all the way to Ocracoke were very knowledgeable and interesting.

My notes from the meeting:

From a visible inspection, the ducks look healthy.  If they are not fed by humans, they will probably disperse into other areas of the island resulting in a more natural distribution.  There is enough natural food on the island, they do not need to be fed by humans. 

Euthanasia will only be carried out at a last resort – if the duck population is found to be carrying disease that could spread to humans or if the ducks are dying from disease – that may be the most humane way to help.  So far, that doesn’t seem to be an issue but a few ducks would have to be tested to be sure of this.

Transferring ducks would the 2^nd to the last resort and may be difficult to get permits for. This may be an option if the duck population continues to grow in numbers and if education and the addling/oiling of eggs does not work. This may take a year to determine. There is a 20-60% chance of mortality when transporting Mallards.

Private property owners who can show that the ducks have been a nuisance – damage, lots of droppings, etc, do have recourse.  Please contact Carol Pahl if you can prove damage.

Addling and oiling eggs will be a possibility for next nesting season as the nesting season is nearlyfinished for this year. We should start this process next winter. 

Educating the population and tourist about the problems of feeding any wildlife should be ongoing.

  

What's Wrong with a Few Ducks in the Village?

Why not just leave the poor ducks alone?  Well, there are actually many good reasons to intervene to so that the Ocracoke Mallard duck population reverts back to a healthy level.  The flock has been estimated to be between 300-500 individuals - they are no longer acting wild, staying in Ocracoke for the winter and eating processed or human food. I just noticed a new family behind my shop...so add 24 more!

The Mallards have become a nuisance and health hazard. Some of our residents can no longer garden or allow their children to play outside. Think 300 defecating ducks in your yard.

A good description of Mallard ducks, their habitat and behavior:
http://www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0/Learning/documents/Profiles/mallard.pdf
From the North Carolina Wildlife Organization

Published by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, this booklet is helpful in understanding why it's harmful to feed any wild animal:
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/habitat/wild-in-the-woods/feeding-wildlife-food-for-thought.pdf

In a memo dated December 10, 2015 David Howard, Director of Public Health, Hyde County recommended "a significant reduction in potential exposure of humans to such duck fecal matter by whatever means deemed necessary and prudent for the purpose of greatly reducing the risk of disease transmission to adults, children and immune compromised individuals."  Howard listed the following links which are quite interesting:
Ducks: The Trojan Horses of H5N1 Influenza
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2749972/
Swimmer's Itch
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/swimmersitch/faqs.html

An article in the New York Times about the role of ducks and other waterfowl in spreading Avian Flu (thanks Connie Lienbach for sharing)
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/17/magazine/the-looming-threat-of-avian-flu.html?smid=tw-share&_r=1

Background Information

Some background information, how did we get to this point?

Articles published in the Ocracoke Observer and Ocracoke Current:

https://ocracokeobserver.com/2016/04/08/hyde-county-seeks-community-consensus-about-island-ducks/
http://www.ocracokecurrent.com/134160
https://ocracokeobserver.com/2016/04/14/ocracoke-says-no-to-euthanizing-mallard-ducks/