Get 'breaducated' and help keep Newport's waterfowl healthy
New signs have gone up along a Shropshire canal in an attempt to educate visitors on the safest and most environmentally-friendly things to feed the water's ducks and swans.
'Breaducation', an initiative to help make Shropshire's waterways safer for birds, has now expanded to Newport and signs explaining the initiative are now in place along the town's popular canal.
It follows a similar step at the Little Dawley Pools, Apley Woods, Holmer Lake and the Quarry in Shrewsbury.
The Breaducation website says: "In short, bread doesn’t have the nutrients needed to keep waterfowl fit and healthy. In extreme cases it can result in 'angel wing', a bone and feather deformity preventing birds from flying and living a normal healthy life.
"It also leads to bloated stomachs and obesity inhibiting them from seeking out more natural foods and making them less mobile and more vulnerable to predators. Uneaten bread also has a negative impact on water quality as it leads to algal blooms, allows bacteria to breed and attracts rats and other vermin."
Safer alternatives for feeding waterfowl include vegetable peelings, mealworms, defrosted peas or special duck food.
Learn more at breaducation.org.uk.
