Over the last days there were several dead and dying ducks in the "Bonner Rheinauen". A park visitor discovered at least ten dead and diseased animals. I could salvage another five dead ducks and a black coot just at one afternoon.

The animals got signs of paralysis. First they can't fly anymore. Then they can't walk anymore. Many of them are drowning in the near-shore shallow water. This appearance fits to the so called botulism. Waterbirds are dying because of a neurotoxin (botulism-toxic) which they absorb while eating from the bottom of the waters. If it's actually botulism isn't clarified now. The toxic is produced by the bacterium clostridium botulinum which occurs naturally in the mud but only in certain circumstances secretes this neurotoxin. Often it happens in oxygen-deficient Waters and extreme heat. Maybe the toxic did enrich during the warmer time a few weeks ago in the mud and now the waterbirds did gather it.