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Since 1979 more than 140,000 animals have been treated by Wildlife Rescue.
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13 Mallard Ducklings Mothered back to Health!
Posted May 9, 2019 by shantal
Last week, in an all-too-common incident, a mother Mallard was struck and killed by a passing vehicle, leaving her young brood of 13 ducklings orphaned. An alert individual noticed the frantic babies and brought them to the Wildlife Rescue hospital.
In good health, as they hadn’t been stranded for too long, the ducklings huddled close together for comfort while hospital staff examined them. At the time of rescue, these baby Mallards were only a couple of days old.
The baby ducklings are being raised at Wildlife Rescue for the next 4-6 weeks as they go through several developmental stages. Hospital staff will expand their housing needs as they assess the ducklings’ resilience in each of the stages. The baby Mallards are already gaining weight and displaying curiosity and healthy eating behaviors.
Who are baby Mallard ducklings?
Mallards are some of the most common waterfowl in North America, and virtually all domestic ducks descend from this species, especially in Vancouver! Courting behavior between males and females can be fascinating to watch if you can catch it in the winter. By spring, they establish pairings, and both parents will look for a nesting site.
Mothering these babies back to health
While we can’t provide the sense of security that their mother could, hospital staff and volunteers make sure that the ducklings’ core needs of safety, warmth and nutrition are being fully met. The goal is to provide optimal care to ensure these 13 baby ducklings will grow strong and can be released to successfully thrive in the wild.
We’re happy to say that all the baby ducklings are hydrated, responsive with the staff, and even showing their beautiful bright eyes, a sign of good recovery! We look forward to sharing news of their release on Instagram and Facebook in a few weeks!
Contact us!
If you see baby Mallards and are unsure what to do or whether to intervene, call our helpline to assess the situation. We are only able to do this work with the support of the community. Did you know that you can symbolically adopt a wild animal, please visit our site here https://www.wildliferescue.ca/adoption/
Wildlife Rescue Association of British Columbia
5216 Glencarin Drive, Burnaby, BC V5B 3C1
The Wildlife Rescue Association of BC is located on the ancestral and unceded homelands of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples. We are grateful for the opportunity to be on this beautiful shared territory.
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