Images of several dead ducks and ducklings found near Donald Trump‘s controversial Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool have gone viral, prompting outrage on social media. While officials have not confirmed a cause of death at the time of writing, many people on social media are blaming the conditions of the “algae-filled” Reflecting Pool.
Trump’s latest project in his effort to “beautify” Washington, D.C. involved turning the pool “American flag blue” by draining it and changing its color. However, the project quickly drew criticism when the water turned bright green just a few days days later due to an algae bloom. But now, the pool’s color is the least of critics’ concerns…
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Steve Goodale, a Canadian swimming pool specialist known online as Swimming Pool Steve, explained the science behind the pool turning green. He said: "The new, darker interior surface is going to absorb more sunlight. It is going to result in water that's warmer, and that ultimately is going to lead to more prolific algae growth."
According to several reports, the Environmental Protection Agency claims that the ongoing algae bloom, also known as cyanobacteria, could have contributed to the ducks' deaths because it can be toxic to birds and other wildlife.
Per Forbes, Washington, D.C.'s Department of Energy and the Environment is planning to conduct an investigation following the ducks' deaths. Interestingly, National Park Service workers were previously seen dumping hydrogen peroxide into the pool last week, but it may not be the cause of the deaths. According to reports, this is a common treatment, with Department of the Interior spokesperson Katie Martin previously telling Forbes it had "no harmful side effects to marine life or to the environment."
Social Media Reactions
As expected, social media had a lot to say, with some people suggesting the peroxide may have been harmful, others expressing sympathy for the ducks, and many, many others criticizing the POTUS.
"This is sickening," slammed one X user, while a second called it "beyond unacceptable." "Everything that [expletive] touches dies," added a third, as a fourth exclaimed: "Add animal cruelty to those charges!"
"Someone save those poor ducks," begged a fifth, while a sixth said: "Killing wildlife is a federal crime." "Poor ducks!" wrote a seventh, as an eighth dropped a broken-heart emoji.
"I find this devastating, and it was inevitable. Trump did not consider, even what the effect of this blue paint – whatever the [expletive] it was – would have on the wildlife in the area because he does not give a [expletive]," wrote a ninth.
A tenth concurred: "Yikes! I blame the highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide that was dumped into the pool at the discretion of an incompetent president."
