The city of Milpitas is investigating after a cluster of dead ducks were found floating in a park pond.
City officials collected at least a dozen of them from Hall Memorial Park Tuesday.
“This is a little duck sanctuary, they're always here, and they're always waiting to be fed,” Zach Serena of Milpitas said.
He said she walks his dog around the park every morning and night. He said he didn’t see any of the dead ducks, but he's noticed a change in the pond's population this week.
“This park usually has more females than males, but now there's more males,” Serena said.
From Milpitas police and public works, to the state department of fish and wildlife, the humane society and SPCA, many agencies are investigating.
By casting such a wide net, they’re able to test the quality of the pond water, and the duck carcasses for any illnesses, especially avian flu.
Local
But one theory from residents may also hold water.
Sot pam santi and yolanda battle, spend weekday mornings at the park
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
“People feed them all the time,” Pam Santi and Yolanda Battle said. “They come and throw out leftovers or junk or whatever. Garbage yeah, and those animals can't digest it you know, it goes in their craw and they die I'm sure.”
While test results are pending, the city of Milpitas posted a reminder for the public to not feed the wildlife.