Of 500 Ducks Landing On Syncrude Tar Sands Tailing Pond, Five Survive - Edmonton Journal

FORT McMURRAY - Syncrude has vowed to avoid a repeat of the wildlife incident that killed almost all of the ducks that landed on one of its tailings pond.

The company has found only five ducks, out of an estimated 500, worth trying to save. It has sent those to a wildlife rehabilitation centre in Edmonton.

The company was criticized by local environmentalist Ruth Kleinbub for failing to get any noise makers out on the Aurora tailings pond in time to scare away migrating waterfowl. "The birds were here the first week of April," said Kleinbub, who is a member of the Fort McMurray Field Naturalists. "I think it's absolutely ridiculous that they weren't ready."

The company says it started deploying sonic cannons about a week ago but had not been able to put anything out on the Aurora tailings pond before the late spring storm.

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