UNM curbs duck population by destroying eggs
Duck eggs are being collected and destroyed to control the population at the iconic University of New Mexico duck pond.
The duck pond is a familiar campus landmark and its residents are popular fixtures at the university, but officials said sometimes there are too many of them.
"A lot of times we just acquire ducks that people no longer want," UNM Director of Communication Dianne Anderson said.
To help control the population, three times a year workers hand the ducks over to the West Side Animal Shelter, where some of the ducks lay eggs that are destroyed.
"It is a little shocking. Especially if they want to keep this as a duck pond, you think they'd want to have a few more ducks," UNM senior Audrey Black said.
At the ABQ BioPark, duck expert Clay Williams said it's a problem he knows all too well. The BioPark also takes care of ducks at Tingley Beach. Instead of destroying the eggs, the zoo replaces them with dummy eggs.
"They go through their regular cycle, and (it) doesn't interrupt their natural instinct to go ahead and nest. And once they're done with the dummy eggs that don't hatch they generally won't lay eggs again," Williams said. "Domestic ducks are incapable of flight. So they will not leave. They are pretty much grounded where ever you drop them off."
The university said it's willing to have a conversation with zoo experts to find out what they can do to curb the problem.