Riverkeeper discovers hundreds of rotting dead chickens dumped in water

LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. (WIS/Gray News) – A South Carolina riverkeeper came across a strange sight Tuesday afternoon: hundreds of dead chickens floating in the water.

According to information from Hugo Krispyn, a riverkeeper for the Edisto River, hundreds of rotting chicken carcasses in feed bags were left near a bridge in the North Fork area of the river.

The dumping spot is near the county line between Aiken and Lexington counties.

Krispyn said in a Facebook post that when he first approached the carcasses, he believed it was a fairly routine littering incident before realizing what the strange floating mass actually was.

According to Krispyn, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) is looking into the incident. The chickens do not fall under the category of ordinary littering, as it is a crime to dispose of animal carcasses in a waterway.

Dead animals in river water could spread disease to those who rely on rivers for drinking water.

Officials are still trying to figure out who is responsible for dumping the chickens into the water and where the chickens came from.

SCDNR said in a statement:

“Our officers initially responded Tuesday and then contacted the S.C. Department of Environmental Services, which is the regulatory authority in this matter.”

The Department of Environmental Services confirmed the agency has been made aware of the incident and is continuing to investigate. They said they will provide additional details when the investigation is complete.

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