Auburn city officials want to place signs in Hoopes Park in an attempt to protect the local duck population after residents reported seeing youths throwing rocks at the animals over the weekend, killing a duckling and injuring its mother.
Jill Connor / The Citizen
Two ducks swim in the Hoopes Park pond Monday afternoon.
Two ducks swim in the Hoopes Park pond Monday afternoon.
City Manager Mark Palesh said that killing ducks outside of hunting season was illegal and that he wants to talk to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to get signs up stating those regulations by this weekend.
Ducks are protected by both state and federal conservation laws.
Palesh said he was made aware of the issue when a resident told him Monday that four youths were seen riding through the park on bikes, throwing rocks at the ducks Sunday.
“Not only is it illegal to kill the ducks, it's immoral,” Palesh said. “My daughter was just at the park playing with the mother duck and the babies. The mother duck would just come right up to her. When I get home and tell my daughter, she will be crushed.”
Auburn resident Bob Richardson, who told Palesh about the incident, said he was both mad and disgusted when he found out that someone had injured a mother duck and killed one of its ducklings.
“When I went to go feed the ducks, I found out someone had killed one of the babies and thrown rocks at the mother,” Richardson said. “This isn't the first time something like this has happened in the park. Residents have seen kids throwing rocks or breaking eggs at the park before.”
Ducks are protected by both state and federal conservation laws.
Palesh said he was made aware of the issue when a resident told him Monday that four youths were seen riding through the park on bikes, throwing rocks at the ducks Sunday.
“Not only is it illegal to kill the ducks, it's immoral,” Palesh said. “My daughter was just at the park playing with the mother duck and the babies. The mother duck would just come right up to her. When I get home and tell my daughter, she will be crushed.”
Auburn resident Bob Richardson, who told Palesh about the incident, said he was both mad and disgusted when he found out that someone had injured a mother duck and killed one of its ducklings.
“When I went to go feed the ducks, I found out someone had killed one of the babies and thrown rocks at the mother,” Richardson said. “This isn't the first time something like this has happened in the park. Residents have seen kids throwing rocks or breaking eggs at the park before.”
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Post your comment - click hereThere are 24 comment(s)
crush68 wrote on May 19, 2009 11:14 PM:
sunshine420 wrote on May 19, 2009 8:19 PM:
And as for the parents..don"t take this too lightly as this type of behavior can surely turn into alot worse in later years "
yvonne_m_99 wrote on May 19, 2009 6:24 PM:
sick of it wrote on May 19, 2009 6:10 PM:
The Truth wrote on May 19, 2009 4:59 PM:
sundeva007 wrote on May 19, 2009 4:07 PM:
Anya- Making the park available to only adults is not realistic. As a mother of a toddler living close to Hoopes Park I bring my son there all the time to walk, enjoy the beauty, and watch the ducks. The idea of making the park available to only adults takes the park away from the good youth of this area who do go there to enjoy the park for what it is... a beautiful place. It is not fair to the children of this area who do go there and enjoy it to be penalized and have it taken away for something someone else did. Not only that, but you're then looking at costs for someone to supervise the property to keep kids out. It's just not realistic. The community coming together to let everyone know that abuse to the animals or the park will not be tolerated is. "
karl the 2nd wrote on May 19, 2009 2:46 PM:
Let's make a concerted effort to find these brats and prosecute them.
The cowardly adults who say nothing should be shamed.
Let's step up and get a description of these little terrorists! "
091951 wrote on May 19, 2009 1:38 PM:
FS II wrote on May 19, 2009 1:33 PM:
phouriga wrote on May 19, 2009 1:22 PM:
either hurt or worse there are 11 baby ducks in distress.The children that were throwing rocks I was told were older kids riding bikes no one saw them throw the rocks and injure the mother duck.A younger child went to one of the adults and told them what happened that person responded as well as other adults by then the older children took off, the police were called.If by the many adults who went to the aid of the mother and her babies and did get involved had not bothered to stop these youths. you would not see this in your local newspaper.Because the police were called and the local news paper involved.Killing a helpless animal raises a red flag to say the least.I know for a fact the many adults who go to that park care enough to get involved as they did that day.Hoops park is a park not a playground I am sure you can't watch your children every minute but as a parent you can teach them right from wrong. "
BUDDYDAD wrote on May 19, 2009 12:46 PM:
interested wrote on May 19, 2009 12:45 PM:
FSII, you forgot to blame Bush. He is/was the blame for everything.
I hope they make the punishment fit the crime. I can't imagine killing a baby duck and injuring the mother like that. How sad :( "
ABC123 wrote on May 19, 2009 12:08 PM:
You are wrong. It is the parents fault. IF they can not provide proper supervision for their children then they should not of had them. That is exactly what is wrong with this society. Nobody takes responsibility for their actions anymore. The Police, Fire Dept. School System, County etc... Did not tell or ask anyone to have children so they can become responsible for them!!! Maybe if people would start taking responsibility for themselves and stop thinking society owes them something - things would change! "
yoker wrote on May 19, 2009 11:11 AM:
sick of it wrote on May 19, 2009 10:47 AM:
FS II wrote on May 19, 2009 10:35 AM:
anya wrote on May 19, 2009 9:18 AM:
interesting wrote on May 19, 2009 9:08 AM:
Farmer's Gal wrote on May 19, 2009 9:01 AM:
hardwords wrote on May 19, 2009 8:54 AM:
091951 wrote on May 19, 2009 7:58 AM:
daydreamer wrote on May 19, 2009 7:09 AM:
ANGMOM3 wrote on May 19, 2009 6:08 AM:
I'm sure your parents are quite proud - and will eventually visit you in jail. "
beevillerunn wrote on May 19, 2009 2:47 AM: