Patient of the Week
All proceeds from Steve Irwin Day go into projects such as the Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors Australian Wildlife Hospital.
The Australian Wildlife Hospital treats thousands of injured animals each year. Sadly, many of them don’t make it back to the wild. The lucky ones make a full recovery and go on to live happy and healthy lives in their natural habitat. These are their stories…
Nine orphan Pacific Black Ducklings
No matter how much you try not to, you can't help saying each time you look at these patients.... ‘ohhh they're sooo cute'. On Friday morning, nine orphan Pacific Black Ducklings were admitted to the Australian Wildlife Hospital.
The ducklings, along with two other siblings, were seen with the mother duck on Thursday morning trying to climb through a wire fence. Mum flew over the fence and was quickly joined by two ducklings, but the other nine couldn't manage the climb and were stuck on the other side. Unfortunately Mum headed off with only the two ducklings, usually the parent would wait for the majority of her brood but in this instance she may have been spooked.
A local resident who witnessed the event managed to catch the nine ducklings, place them all in a cardboard box which was then left on the lawn for Mum to find. Unfortunately later in the day the wind blew the box over and seven of the frightened ducklings ran off, falling down through the metal grate over a drain. After many hours the residents had managed to retrieve all the ducklings from the drain and a call was placed to a wildlife carer to collect the frightened and exhausted youngsters.
Amazingly, even after such a big fall all the ducklings were given a clean bill of health by the vets at the Australian Wildlife Hospital. The nine ducklings have now been placed with a bird carer who reports they are feeding and exercising normally; and when they are tired they have a feather duster for substitute Mum and a heat lamp to keep them warm as they sleep.
Remember if you see native wildlife with young, enjoy watching from a distance as approaching too close may cause the parents to stress, flee or abandon the young.
For any Wildlife Emergencies phone 1300 369 652
View previous Patients of the Week at http://www.australiazoo.com.au/conservation/wildlife-warriors/patient-of-the-week/
