Academy of Sciences vs. flukes

“If we decrease the number of flukes, less people will suffer from allergic reactions to trematodes [the parasites - Euroradio's' note]. The number of birds needs to be regulated too. They should not stay near the lakeside, but they have been fed there for over 20 years. We suggest scaring birds away regularly. They come to the lakeside in the morning and evening. They should be scared away at this time. And aquatic plants should be eliminated too",  - Says Doctor of Science Lizaveta Bychkova, deputy director-general of the National Practical Bioresources Centre of the Belarusian Academy of Sciences.

Imagine employees of Narach Park going to the lakeside at 5 a.m. to shout "Shoo!" at birds. They have no special equipment to scare ducks away.

“The main thing is frightening.  There are special employees dealing with it. They do not use any equipment", - informed the scientific department of Narach Park.

But people keep feeding birds. No matter how often you scare birds away, if you throw some bread to swans, they will immediately head for the lakeside, complain employees of Narach Park.

Narach Park employee: “The problem is caused by people. We are asking people not to feed birds. But people keep feeding swans. This problem needs to be solved somehow".

You can frighten ducks but you cannot eliminate flukes. They are hermaphrodites and even if only one remains in the lake, it will be able to propagate itself.

“Flukes have both male and female organs so they will reproduce no matter how hard you try to eliminate them. I have said it many times but they won't listen. A lot of money is allocated for it. But scaring birds is cleverer", - says Doctor of Biology Anyaksandr Holubeu.

He advises using Vietnamese ointment to be protected against the parasites.

The programme of scaring birds away and eliminating flukes was launched several years ago. And the number of affected people... has decreased.

“About 700 people per season were affected in 2005. There were only 37 of them last year", - says Lizaveta Bychkova.

She has assured that no chemicals are being added in the water as it would destroy the ecosystem. They simply catch flukes.

To avoid allergy to flukes, you should take a shower after swimming in Narach Park. To tell the truth, the water is cold there so not everyone can do it.

Photo by: onliner.by

“У 2005 годзе захварэлых каля 700 чалавек за сезон. Летась на Нарачы такіх было толькі 37 чалавек”, - агучвае Лізавета Бычкова.

І супакойвае, што хімікаты ў ваду не сыплюць, каб не парушыць экасістэму. Малюскаў вылоўліваюць.

А каб не падчапіць паразітаў, у Нарачанскім парку раяць купацца на пляжах, а пасля вады ісці ў душ. Што праўда, вада ў ім халодная, не кожны адважыцца.

Фота: onliner.by