A couple of weeks ago, a coworker, Bev Drake, and her daughter, Laurie, found a tiny duckling in a parking lot. They looked around for the mother and found only broken eggs. They noticed the duckling had a bent foot, which may have prevented it from leaving with its mother and siblings.
Bev and Laurie carefully put the duckling in a little box with holes and took it to Lake Erie Nature and Science Center, at Bay Village, OH.
The wildlife team determined this duckling to be a baby Mallard and gave it a number: #722. The wildlife staff took the duckling and made it a little boot to correct it's bent foot.
They were given a telephone number and email to call and check on the status of duckling #722.
Unfortunately even with our best attempt, we received news that duckling #722 did not survive.
Here are tips to abide by should you find an abandoned duckling:
- Look around to see if you see the mother. A good rule of thumb is to monitor the duckling for a couple of hours to see if the mother will return.
- If the duckling truly appears to be abandoned, wear gloves whenever possible, and carefully pick up duckling and place in a container or box with a towel.
- Immediately contact/take the duckling to the nearest wildlife rehabilitation center.
- Do not pet or handle the duck more than necessary.
- Do not allow other animals to get near.
- Do not attempt to keep and raise the duckling.
