More dead ducks have been found near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool following President Donald Trump’s $14 million renovation to the Washington, D.C. monument, according to a report.
A duckling was found floating in the algae-laden water Sunday, and now the bodies of two more birds — a juvenile and an adult — have been recovered from a pond at Constitution Gardens, approximately 250 feet away from the Reflecting Pool, The Washington Post reports.
A local wildlife organization told the newspaper that the ducks often go between the two sites.
Paint has also started to peel from the bottom of the newly surfaced pool, which was supposed to be refurbished in time for Trump’s America 250 celebrations.
While the cause of the deaths was unknown, wildlife advocates have expressed concerns that the ducks could have consumed cyanobacteria, often referred to as blue-green algae, which can produce toxins that cause illness in humans and animals.
“They could have had exposure to the Reflecting Pool. It could be something related to peeling paint or algae,” City Wildlife President April Linton speculated in an interview with The Post. The group said that Trump’s renovation project has also caused additional stress on the ducks by disrupting their habitat.
The Independent has contacted the Interior Department for comment.
Kristine Chapman, who leads City Wildlife’s Duck Watch team made up of 30 staff members and volunteers, found the two ducks Sunday.
The Duck Watch team has reportedly had a difficult time accessing the Reflecting Pool to monitor the animals’ activity this spring because of Trump’s construction project. The group has also noticed a decline in the number of ducks in the area. Typically, they count between 100 and 150 ducks per day at the Reflecting Pool and Constitution Gardens, but this year the figures are between 50 and 100, they said.
The Reflecting Pool renovation, one of several of the president’s pet projects, has been blighted by algae and issues with the sealant peeling off the bottom, which was supposed to make the water appear “American flag blue.”
Days after completion, the water turned green due to the algae and clumps of the plant were pictured floating on the surface.
Last week, workers were seen dumping hydrogen peroxide into the water in a bid to tackle the algae, which the Interior Department said previously was “a milder treatment than chlorine” that had “no harmful side effects to marine life or to the environment.”
Despite this, over the weekend, Trump blamed “vandals” and claimed that “chemicals have been illegally placed in the water.”
The president then claimed Monday that a 300-foot “slit” had appeared in the pool coating, which he attributed to a box cutter or knife and said that the National Parks Service was investigating.
At least five people have been arrested for allegedly tampering with the pool, including U.S. Olympian David Hearn, who denied the allegations.
Trump has said the pool would likely need to be drained again to carry out the repairs. The construction company who worked on the pool told Politico that the project would unlikely be ready for July 4 festivities.
“It will not be before the celebrations, that’s for sure,” Francois Rivard, vice president of Rhino Linings, told the outlet.
