Sick Ducks?

With graphic details about dead ducks in the Glendale Narrows, blog Nature Trumps says a bout of avian botulism has hit the area. Tasty. His source on this is a friend named Tony the Duck man, who "says his phone calls and letters to local government authorities and agency officials pleading for monitoring of the situation and prompt corpse disposal have gone unanswered." According to the U.S. Geological Society, avian botulism is defined as a "paralytic disease caused by ingestion of a toxin produced by the bacteria, Clostridium botulinum. This bacteria is widespread in soil and requires warm temperatures, a protein source and an anaerobic (no oxygen) environment in order to become active and produce toxin." [Nature Trumps]