Wildlife carers cry foul at park

CONCERNS about an influx of domestic ducks and roosters at Platypus Park have Atherton residents calling for something to be done to stop the birds from “fowling up” the natural environment.

With 20 ducks and roosters living at the park, animal carer Vanessa Merrin said she was troubled to see so many of them breeding and “taking over” the native animal habitat and popular rest area.

She said the birds had been at the picnic spot near Chinatown for nearly a year.

Since then the area had become messy with bird droppings and feathers.

“It looks like they’ve been dumped there by someone who doesn’t want them anymore,” Ms Merrin said.

“Because tourists are feeding them and they’ve hung around and started breeding, it’s become a big problem. All the platypuses have disappeared.”

Tablelands regional councillor Kate Eden told a council meeting that a local environmental group raised concerns about the problem with her.

“The chooks and the Muscovy ducks are outcompeting native ducks and messing up the water for the platypuses,” Cr Eden said.

“It seems people are dumping their unwanted fowls in the area.

“I’m told platypuses haven’t been seen there in a while.”

She said the environmental group had volunteered to undertake the trapping of the feral birds.

Cr Anthony Ball said it sounded like it would be an ongoing problem if people continued to dump feral birds at the park, which is on the Atherton-Herberton Rd.