Wildlife experts suspect botulism for the recent wave of dead ducks in Lake Forest.
As many as 30 dead or dying mallards have been discovered in the area during the last two weeks, the Orange County Register reported.
Botulism, an illness that causes paralysis, is the suspected culprit, said Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center Wildlife Director Debbie McGuire.
"When the water becomes devoid of oxygen nutrients and plant life start dying, that's when botulism explodes," she told the Register. "If lots of animals are dying and their bodies are not being picked up, flies come along and lay eggs, which turn into maggots. When ducks eat the maggots, they turn into concentrated pills of botulism. Then you can expect to see a rapid ramp-up of botulism."
Residents told the newspaper that people feeding the ducks, the recent heat and algae could be leading the growth of botulism, the Register reported.
A duck necropsy is tentatively planned, McGuire said.
