Duck ramp on Capitol Hill stirs controversy on social media

The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) just installed something that'll make the reflecting pool by the Washington Monument more enjoyable -- at least, for some residents.

The Capitol Reflecting Pool is a popular attraction for both humans and, as it turns out, ducks. The coping off the pool slopes, however, so some ducklings had trouble getting in and out of the water.

The AOC partnered with City Wildlife, a non-profit that helps sick and injured animals in Washington D.C., to fix the problem with ramps especially designed for the ducks:

"The ducks have an uncanny ability to locate a way out of the water, if one is provided. We can never truly predict their behavior, but our goal is to provide them the means to get in and out of the water, which is what they need to do in the wild to protect their duckling from becoming waterlogged or cold," said Anne Lewis, President of City Wildlife.

"The rest is up to them, but they do have a strong survival instinct especially when there are ducklings involved."

According to a video AOC shared on Twitter, though, the ducklings got the hang of it pretty quickly:

While the ducks seemed to be delighted, North Carolina Rep. Mark Walker criticized the ramp:

"If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, it must be government waste," he said.

Others on social media disagreed with Walker, and voiced their opinions:

Lewis told the New York Times that the ramps are beneficial for the ducks' health. She said, "They will drown from exhaustion or die of starvation unless they have a way to get out of the water."