4 ducklings found in a ditch and rescued

Four wild ducklings were rescued in western P.E.I. Tuesday night after being found in a ditch without their mother.

Marilyn Curley was watering her flower beds in Wellington when a neighbour drove by and pointed them out to her.

"There was four of them hidden in the grass. And it was getting dark, the mosquitoes were really, really bad," Curley explained.

She and her boyfriend were unsure of what they should do:

"They're hungry. They're chirping. There's no mother in sight," she said.

As they turned back towards the house to find a box for them, the ducks started following her boyfriend.

"We came into the yard and they followed us right up to the steps."

Wanting to help

"They were so tiny and helpless. I just wanted to help them. I didn't want them to get eaten," said Curley.

"I knew that through the night, something would get them ... A hawk or a weasel or a fox or another animal. They wouldn't be there in the morning."

She reached out to Candy Gallant for support.

Gallant is well known in the community for rescuing animals. She works with the P.E.I. Humane Society and the Cat Action Team.

"If [Marilyn] hadn't found the little ducks, they would have died," said Gallant.

Following Gallant's advice, Curley kept the ducks in a cat carrier overnight in her car. That way, they would be safe from the cold and far from her house cats.  

Gallant said that it was unlikely that the mother duck would return. She said that ducklings who aren't able to keep up with their siblings sometimes get left behind.

Ducks get a new home among other birds

On Wednesday, Curley took the ducks to Gallant's house.

Gallant said she gave the ducks food and water, and that they "made themselves quite at home."

She also quickly found them a new place to live. They're now living with a neighbour who has a migratory bird permit and lives beside a stream.

"It's a real fine line when you get little baby birds, and these were very young and imprinted on humans, which is why they followed [Marilyn] home," said Gallant.

She said it was important that the ducks be moved to a place where they could interact with similar species.

"It's a dangerous thing for any wild animal to not be afraid of people," she said.

Gallant explained that in their new home, the ducks can be with other birds until they're ready to leave.

"As soon as they can fly and they want to go, they're free to go if they want to."

'You fall in love with them'

Curley said it was a really amazing experience to have come across the wild ducks.

"I always wanted a duck.... but it was just bad timing," she said.

"They melt you," she added. "You fall in love with them."

She said she's happy she was able to help give them a chance at life. 

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