Wildlife

If you find a sick, injured or orphaned animal please contact Bonorong Wildlife Rescue on 0447 264 625 at any time.

Bonorong Wildlife Rescue is a privately run, volunteer-based rescue service operating Tasmania-wide.

To report roadkill on council owned roads please contact us on 03 6217 9500.

To report roadkill on state highways and roads please call the Department of State Growth (Transport) on 1300 135 513.

If you come across a snake, stay a safe distance away and do not disturb it. If you are bitten by a snake, call 000 immediately.

If you come across a snake of concern on your property and need it removed, contact Reptile Rescue Incorporated Tasmania 0499 116 690.  This is a volunteer network of fully insured snake handlers.

You will be asked to keep an eye on the snake from a safe distance until they get there to make the capture quicker.

To report a snake found in a council facility, such as a playground or amenities building, contact us on 03 6217 9500.

If you see a deceased marine mammal (whale, dolphin or seal) or seabird on one of our beaches, along the coastline or in a waterway, or find a bird or marine animal that has become entangled or stranded, please report it directly to the State Government’s Marine Conservation Program (MCP).

The MCP is responsible for monitoring and conservation of marine mammals and seabirds in Tasmania and determine what, if any, action may be taken in respect to marine life. 

City of Clarence is not able to take any action in respect to marine mammals or seabirds without the prior authority of MCP.

Abandoning domestic ducks is a form of animal cruelty. It is inhumane and illegal. If you see abandoned ducks or know of anyone dumping domestic pet ducks in the wild, you should report it.

Unfortunately, many of our waterways where native ducks live are common dumping areas for abandoned domestic pet ducks.

You can report this to us via our online general inquiry and reporting form or call 6217 9500.

If you have ducks that you need to rehome, see the options below:

• Southern Tasmania Poultry Club hold several amnesty events every year to assist with rehoming of unwanted poultry. Information about these events can be found on the Club’s Facebook page, or they can be contacted via Highveld@activ8.net.au
• The Raptor Refuge in Kettering will accept unwanted roosters if they have capacity, for a small fee.
• We also have a Tasmanian Devil wildlife carer in Sandford who accepts donated birds, which will be euthanised and used for wildlife food. He can be contacted via phone on 0409 998 774.

Protecting our native ducks

Tasmania is home to 11 species of native ducks. Native ducks play an important role in maintaining ecological balance, biodiversity and environmental health. Many of these ducks live in our waterways, including at the Lauderdale Canal, Kangaroo Bay Rivulet, and Richmond.

For example, we have Pacific Black Ducks, Chestnut Teals and Grey Teals at the Lauderdale Canal which can be seen dabbling in shallow water feeding on aquatic invertebrates and vegetation. We also have Australian Shelducks at Ralphs Bay and Australasian Shovelers at Roscommon Reserve. Rarer species, such as Freckled Ducks, Hardheads and Blue-billed Ducks, are also occasionally spotted at Risdon Brook Dam.

Native ducks are protected under law. Unfortunately, their numbers and survival are at risk due to invasive ducks (non-native, domestic ducks). Invasive ducks are larger and more aggressive than the timid native ducks, and can cross-breed with native ducks, which threatens their survival.

In Tasmania, Pacific Black Ducks are at serious risk of extinction because of cross-breeding. This has already occurred in New Zealand, Lorde Howe, and Norfolk Islands.

Feeding wild ducks

Wild ducks need wild food. This means they need to find their own food in their environment and not be fed by people. Feeding wild ducks causes nutritional deficiencies and hinders the development of natural behaviours. It can also put them in dangerous situations. Ducks in our local area have been hit by cars trying to cross roads where people have left food and water in their gardens.

Sadly, feeding wild ducks also encourages people to dump more domestic ducks in the area.

Feeding ducks both domestic and native, not only causes harm to the ducks, but can have negative impacts on the surrounding environment. When ducks are encouraged to stay in one area (due to feeding) it causes a build up of duck poo. In excess, duck poo causes pollution in waterways such as algal blooms, which can crowd out other plants and starve water of oxygen, killing aquatic animals.

Diseases like botulism also become more prevalent when ducks overcrowd waterways. Botulism is a serious condition that causes life threatening symptoms to not only ducks but all birds.

Owning Ducks responsibly

Ducks kept at home should be adequately contained to prevent them from becoming wild.

If you like to keep ducks at home, please consider breeds other than Mallards. Other common domestic breeds, such as Muscovy’s can’t cross-breed with native ducks and pose less of an environmental risk. Some breeds, like Indian Runners are flightless and much easier to keep safely at home.        

Resources

If you need help identifying if a duck is native, a domestic mallard or mallard hybrid, you can send a photo to Pacific Black Duck Conservation Group at pacificblackduck@landcaretas.org.au or visit their Facebook page.

Information on living with ducks can be found on the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania website.

If you still want to engage with the ducks in Clarence, there are duck discovery activities you can do at any time. Including becoming a citizen scientist and conducting a species survey and helping us monitor the much-loved duck population in our city.

Download the free Ducks of Tasmania booklet here or you can pick one up at council offices.

Help gather useful and important data on native ducks in Clarence