City officials started getting a lot of complaints when they told people they planned to get rid of ducks and geese congregated along the city's greenbelt, so the domestic fowl wouldn't pass disease along to migrating birds.
After a week and a half of angry phone calls and letters, the city will allow concerned citizens to adopt a goose or duck, as long as the birds are kept outside of Idaho Falls city limits."Since the announcement that the domestic ducks and geese will be removed from the (Snake River) greenbelt, we have had several inquiries about adopting these birds," said Parks and Recreation Director Dave Christiansen.
The deadline for adoption requests is next Tuesday. City officials said the bird roundup should take place prior to then.
"Maybe all 100 of them could be adopted," said Mayor Linda Milam. "That would be fine by me."
City officials said once they clean out the 100 or so birds that have taken up residence in park areas along the greenbelt, they won't be allowed to congregate again. The Snake River lies in the middle of the Pacific Flyway, a major north-south migration route.
The city decided to get rid of domestic birds because of the threat to migrating birds such as Canada geese. If allowed to congregate in uncontrolled numbers, local birds could become infected with diseases such as avian botulism.