A Syncrude tailings pond in the Fort McMurray oil sands project has turned into the final stop for hundreds of migrating ducks.
Rescue efforts are under way, but hampered by the ring of ice around the pond which prevents launching boats to get at the dying birds. Noise cannons which are supposed to deter the birds didn't function properly, and hundreds of ducks landed only to be poisoned by the toxic sludge.
Syncrude faces fines up to $1million for not having working prevention in place to scare off wildlife, but is hoping that they will be given leniency due to the heavy snow falls which prevented the cannons from working properly. Hopefully their reluctance to bring this situation to attention (it was revealed only through a tipster), will halt any thoughts of leniency.
The Edmonton Sun has an article on it, as I'm sure most Canadian news services do.
Rescue efforts are under way, but hampered by the ring of ice around the pond which prevents launching boats to get at the dying birds. Noise cannons which are supposed to deter the birds didn't function properly, and hundreds of ducks landed only to be poisoned by the toxic sludge.
Syncrude faces fines up to $1million for not having working prevention in place to scare off wildlife, but is hoping that they will be given leniency due to the heavy snow falls which prevented the cannons from working properly. Hopefully their reluctance to bring this situation to attention (it was revealed only through a tipster), will halt any thoughts of leniency.
The Edmonton Sun has an article on it, as I'm sure most Canadian news services do.