Council: No botulism in Tokoroa Lake
The recent deaths of ducks found by a member of the public at Lake Moananui has sparked a committee member to speak out.
Wayne Hardwick, from Friends of the Lake, is at his wits end trying to convince the group to test the lake for botulism.
He informed the volunteer group in September 2015 that dead ducks and algae were at the lake.
Angry at their refusal to accept his findings Hardwick
‘‘Council’s Parks and Property team monitor the lake regularly and have stepped up their monitoring since the ducks were found.’’ Ted Anderson
offered to pay for the test.
‘‘It’s been a uphill battle with me trying to get these people to understand what’s happening.
‘‘Some people just don’t have common sense,’’ he said.
His concerns were raised after reading about June Schollum finding dead and distressed ducks in April.
Veterinarian Jess Yardley from the South Waikato Veterinary Service later confirmed the ducks had Avian Botulism.
Hardwick set up his own Facebook page to update the community without worry of interference from the council.
‘‘I could be cutting my throat a bit but I’m doing everything on my site we couldn’t do or was out of our jurisdiction.
‘‘You can’t do anything if your hands are tied.’’
South Waikato District Council group assets manager Ted Andersonsaid staff have been monitoring the lake and were satisfied that no test needed to be done.
‘‘Council does not feel there is a cause for concern as the deaths of wildlife is a normal occurrence.
‘‘Council’s Parks and Property team monitor the lake regularly and have stepped up their monitoring since the ducks were found,’’ he said.
‘‘No further dead ducks have been found by the team since the initial findings. There is no evidence of botulism.’’
But Hardwick believed prevention was better than waiting for a cure saying the council needs to get stuck in and have the lake dredged.
‘‘The water is too shallow and in the hot seasons the algae grows out of control and in the winter it rains and all of it flows into the drains out into the Waikato River.’’
Friends of the Lake work with a steering group formed by council.