'Our lake is barren because of too many ducks'

The Friends of Ilkley Moor group is discouraging the public to feed the ducks at Ilkley Tarn

A conservation group has asked the public not to feed the ducks at a local beauty spot as they were eradicating biodiversity.

Friends of Ilkley Moor said that up to 100 ducks have "polluted" Ilkley Tarn to the extent that it was now "completely devoid" of aquatic wildlife.

The tarn, on a lower section of Ilkley Moor in West Yorkshire, has been a popular spot for walkers and families since it was built in the Victorian era.

Owen Wells, chair of the voluntary conservation group, said: "The tarn was an important breeding place for frogs and toads, on a spring evening they were everywhere - now there are none."

The group, which has about 400 members, said the tarn could only support a single pair of ducks in its natural state and put the huge increase down to visitors feeding them.

"After they have eaten the food they will jump back in the water and poo," the 81-year-old said.

The group says dozens of ducks have "polluted" the water

Mr Wells said the ducks have eaten pond weed, frogspawn and tadpoles at the tarn, with "very few if any" amphibians remaining.

The group acknowledged feeding ducks was "a great pleasure for small children" but asked for families to instead feed them at the nearby River Wharfe, where the flow would wash droppings away.

"We want to bring life back to the tarn and that can only be done if the number of ducks is greatly reduced," he added.

"Let us bring back the frogs and toads and sticklebacks to this beautiful stretch of water."

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