A goldfish isn’t just for Christmas
Volunteer grounds staff Craig Welsby spotted gold in the ditch during a fence line check around the Arundel Wetland Centre on Tuesday 17 Dec. WWT Arundel Wetland Centre grounds warden Sam Halpin arrived to rescue an 8 inch-long goldfish someone had abandoned near the wetland reserve. “The water in the ditch was only four inches deep, barely covering the poor fish.” said Sam.
WWT staff gave the golden fish the seasonal name of ‘Bauble’ and are looking for a member of the public to adopt him for their own pond. Bauble is currently living in a raised pond used for children’s pond dipping activities in the spring and summer months at the wetland centre. “We have to segregate Bauble as he is a non-native species in the UK” said Sam “Many invasive aquarium plants, non-native fish and water borne diseases are spread by thoughtless people disposing of the contents of their aquariums and ponds into waterways in the countryside.” Garden pond plant species like Water Primrose evolved in tropical climates. In the UK it can form huge dense floating mats which crowd out smaller British plants in wetlands.
Earlier this year domestic chickens and runner ducks were also dumped by their owners along Mill Road near the wetland reserve. Many of these domestic animals end up injured by cars, the victim of predators or succumbing to disease and hunger. The reserve is not equipped to care for domestic animals. “If we are able to catch an abandoned animal we contact WADERS, the animal rescue service, in efforts to re-home them.” said WWT warden Sam Halpin “but too often we find the poor animal after it is too late.”
