Friday, April 19, 2024

Ducklings rescued trying to cross busy Malahat highway after mother duck flew away scared

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Why did the flock of ducklings try to cross the busy highway?

We’re not sure, but fortunately they were rescued before getting too far into the street.

A group of nine baby ducks were scooped up into a box and handed over to Wild ARC (Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre) after members of the public spotted them trying to cross the Malahat highway.

According to the BC SPCA, the ducklings’ mother had been scared away and flown off, leaving the babies to fend for themselves.

The finder called Wild ARC and despite everyone’s best efforts, the mother did not return for her babies.

“The good news is the ducklings are healthy and alert, and are already exploring their enclosure,” reads a post from the organization, accompanying a video of the furry animals perched atop a stuffed toy rabbit.

Orphaned Mallard Ducklings

Please check out our latest medical emergency. During these uncertain times we would really appreciate any extra support you can give:https://spca.bc.ca/emergency/wildarc/. Wild ARC's first group of ducklings for the year were found trying to cross the busy Malahat highway when their mom got scared and flew away. The finders acted quickly and put all nine of them into a box to move them to safety off the road. Unfortunately, despite everyone's best efforts, mom didn't come back for her babies. The good news is the ducklings are healthy and alert, and are already exploring their enclosure. Wild ARC receives hundreds of orphaned wildlife each year. And raising them from infancy to release is extremely costly.

Posted by BC SPCA Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (Wild ARC) on Thursday, April 16, 2020

The ducklings, now considered orphaned, have been taken in by the SPCA, which now needs donations to ensure the animals receive proper care.

“As these ducklings are very young, they will require frequent cleanings, monitoring and feedings,” says the organization.

Staff will care for the nine babies to make sure they develop all the natural skills they need to succeed when they’re released.

“The cost to look after these nine ducklings is great, as it will take a lot of food and staff time to make their successful rehabilitation possible.”

The SPCA is seeking $3,000 to help them provide treatments, regular health checks, and daily care to the babies. As of the time of publication, they have raised $1,707.

Anyone who donates to this campaign will be provided regular updates on the animals’ well being and any extra funds will be used to provide care to the other animals being looked after by the SPCA and Wild ARC.

Once the ducklings have grown up and developed flight feathers, they will be transferred to enclosures with pools until they’re ready to be released into the wild.

Those who wish to donate can get quackin’ by visiting this website.

 

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Brishti Basu
Former Senior Staff Writer and Content Manager at Victoria Buzz.

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