Reader Lou Jost, who works as a naturalist in Ecuador, was making one of his occasional visits to his home country, the U.S., and came upon a duck rescue in Wisconsin. He sent a video and some photos, which I’m posting here. First, Lou’s notes:
I in visiting the US now, and as I was hiking in a local Milwaukee park (Wehr Nature Center/ Whitnall Park), I noticed a gathering of people on a pier on the edge of the aptly-named Mallard Lake. There were also large boxes being unloaded from a park vehicle. I had stumbled upon a duck rescue in progress! This was the “tail end” of the process, in which thirty adolescent mallards would be released after growing up in a Wisconsin Humane Society shelter. Of course I thought of PCC(E) but I didn’t have a camera with me. A woman, who turned out to be Carly Hintz, the Director of the Wehr Nature Center, was taking pictures and she kindly offered to send them to me for you.The ducks were at first very reluctant to make the jump from the pier into the water below, but after the first few dared to do it and began swimming and splashing and exploring the duckweed with obvious energy, most of the others followed at once. A few stragglers needed more persuasion. They all then formed a dense mallard flotilla and went off to do duck things. I think they will be very happy here.
Carly’s photos of the release:
The mallards, unused to freedom, grouped together at first. As Carly said (she knows about my duck tending):
It was remarkable to see the “teenagers” rally together and take the leap into Mallard Lake (aptly named). Perhaps it’s a four star hotel to them much like your Botany Pond.I’m increasingly impressed by the Wisconsin Humane Society and all wildlife rehabers out there doing their best to care for injured and orphaned wildlife. It’s a good thing to care for the earth as in return it will care for us.
Now I know what happens to my rescue ducklings, though they’re tended at Willowbrook Wildlife Center in the Chicago suburbs.
What wonderful people to take such good care of these orphans! Clearly, they didn’t agree with a member of the Chicago Facilities team at Botany Pond, who dismissed any accidents that befall ducklings with “Well, they’re only ducks.” I responded with the Jewish proverb, “If you save one life, you save the world entire.” (I would also have asked this person if they had pets or children and would apply the same “let-natural-selection-sort-it-out philosphy with them; but I bit my tongue.)
Glad to see this work – bravo!
Nice!
It’s wonderful to see every jump into the water! Great job!
Well done!
I certainly don’t begrudge the pleasure and good feelings you get from tending to the Botany Pond ducks. And I’m all for wildlife rehabilitation, and I respect rehabilitators.
But surely there are–and should be–different ethical considerations at play for wild animals vs. pets vs. children!
That is a wonderful duck rescue story!
As for anyone who would tell you “Well, they’re only ducks,” your response was perfect!
But you would certainly be justified in also saying “Not to me they’re not, nor to my duck staff helpers, the many readers following the Botany Pond saga, and all the visitors who came and enjoyed watching and learning about the ducklings.”