Charity spends new year cleaning cooking oil off duck

Reports that more birds from Governors Hill may be impacted

Volunteers from a local charity have spent the new year washing a duck brought in from Governors Hill in Douglas.

It's after the bird was found with cooking type oil on his feathers.

Manx Wild Bird Aid say it will take many hours to ensure the mallard - which they've christened Donald - is clean enough to be released again.

The charity says it is still receiving reports that more ducks appear to be oiled.

In a post on social media, they said: "The chances of being killed by a duck are low, but never zero.

"If looks could kill we’d be out of volunteers thanks to the mallard we’ve called Donald, admitted from Governors Hill on 30th December.

"We share his pain though as Donald’s New Year has been spent with us trying to wash the cooking type oil off his feathers. 

"There are more spa days on the horizon for Donald. Then we have to get him waterproof again."

They added: "Where the oil came from is still a mystery as there doesn’t appear to be any in the pond now. 

"However, it’s possible the oily substance was disposed of down a street (stormwater) drain which then emptied into the pond and contaminated several of the much-loved resident ducks.

"It will take many hours to get the three ducks back into a releasable condition. On top of that we are still receiving reports that more ducks appear to be oiled.

"Regardless of how this all came about, it’s a reminder that a small act can have big consequences for our wildlife and environment."