Duck shooters are being told to keep an eye on their dogs around waterways. Photo/Thinkstock
Duck shooters are being told to keep an eye on their dogs around waterways. Photo/Thinkstock
Hawke's Bay duck shooters are being asked to watch for algal blooms this season.
Although cyanobacteria has not been a major risk on rivers this summer, game Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC) is advising bird shooters to keep a close watch on their dogs around waterways. The blue-green algae canbe toxic and dries into mats that have a strong musty smell that attracts dogs.
After the heavy rain in recent weeks, mats of the algae may still be along river margins. While HBRC science staff monitor the main rivers for algal blooms, they do not monitor the water quality in farm dams on private land where algal bloom could be present.
HBRC's senior environmental scientist, Anna Madarasz-Smith says shooters going to use private maimais are advised to check with the landowner if there are any algal bloom concerns. "These blooms look like floating algae and can turn the water a tea colour or a bright green that is not the normal duckweed green," she says.
A pamphlet My Pond's Gone Green is available from HBRC to assist landowners. As it may not be practical to leave dogs at home, shooters should check the surrounds of rivers, lakes and ponds for any signs of algal mats and keep an eye on their dogs. If a dog has any unusual symptoms after returning from a river, owners should seek veterinarian treatment.
