Concerned animal activists rescue domestic ducks at Ascarate Lake

Every year around the Easter holiday Lorretta Hyde, with the Animal Rescue League of El Paso, notices an increase in domestic ducks at Ascarate Lake.

Wednesday morning, Hyde along with a group of concerned animal activists spent their morning at Ascarate lake trying to rescue those domestic ducks.

“This is a felony to drop these babies off out here. this is not acceptable behavior on the humans part,” Said Hyde.

According to Hyde, domesticated ducks do not belong in a lake because they can not take care of themselves.

“Most of them don’t live past a year if they make it that long. Most of them will probably be dead within the first week,” Hyde said.

We spoke with Lois Balin, Urban wildlife biologists, and she explained that dumping domesticated ducks at a lake is a bad idea because they are used to humans feeding them. When they are unable to find food they then compete with the wild ducks.

Another reason is domestic ducks will mate with the wild ducks. That dilutes the pure race of the Mexican Mallard ducks that are supposed to be at Ascarate lake.

Hyde suggests taking any domestic duck to animal services or finding a bird rescue that can help capture the duck.