Pelicans Solve Fishy Dilemma Plaguing Boulder Biologists
BOULDER, Colo. (AP/CBS4) - The explosion of goldfish in a Boulder lake had officials proposing bizarre solutions, like shocking the fish with electrical currents or draining the lake to remove them.
Then nature stepped in.
Pelicans appear to have feasted on the 3,000 to 4,000 goldfish in Teller Lake No. 5.
"Lo and behold, our biologists went out yesterday, they set up the trap nets to see what they would collect and get an idea, a sampling of how many fish were in the water. They only found about four goldfish and a couple of regurgitated dead ones. While they were there, there was a pelican that swooped in and got a mouth full of goldfish," Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill
The non-native species probably exploded in the 12-acre lake after a handful were dumped there a few years ago. Wildlife biologists were alarmed at the growth and said it could damage the ecosystem.
Wildlife officials observed the pelicans scooping up fish and found some regurgitated goldfish.
"This is an environmentally friendly way to get rid of the goldfish problem," said Churchill. She also encouraged people not to dump fish into lakes.
Pelicans have a summer range that includes much of the American west.
Despite the pelicans solving the problem, Parks and Wildlife officials urge people not to dump their goldfish in lakes.
This story was first reported by the Boulder Daily Camera.
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