RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — It almost sounds like the set-up for a particularly cheesy joke, but it’s true: what happens when a mallard duck tries to cross a Richmond intersection and a kind-hearted driver tries to save her?
Well, the duck didn’t particularly want to be saved at first, according to the Wildlife Center of Virginia. No attempts the driver, Mary, made to scare the female mallard out of the roadway that night appeared to be working. But Mary was just as stubborn as the duck herself seemed to be.
“At that point, Mary thought, ‘There is no way I’m going to watch this duck get hit by a car,’” the center’s blog post reads.
Mary parked her car, turned on her flashers and began her rescue attempt in earnest. Finally, Mary was able to capture the duck and put her into the back seat of her car.
According to the center, Mary believed the duck to be hurt. However, none of the local wildlife centers were open at such a late hour. Dedicated to her newfound cause, Mary kept the mallard duck safe in her guest bathroom with a bathtub full of water.
The next day, March 1, Mary reached out to the Wildlife Center of Virginia. According to the center, staff receiving her call listened to her concerns and agreed that the duck needed to be admitted. Mary then brought the mallard in to be cared for.
The veterinary staff noted the mallard seemed oddly calm, preening her feathers despite being handled by humans.
While she had no obvious injuries, an emergency blood panel discovered what was wrong: clinical lead toxicosis, which can cause permanent neurological damage.
According to the center, staff couldn’t be sure how the mallard consumed so much lead, but they suspect she may have eaten a discarded fishing sinker.
This is something mallards and other waterfowl are unfortunately known to do, as they swallow small pebbles and gravel to help with digestion. Center staff believe this mallard duck may have mistaken a sinker for one such pebble.
A secondary theory of center staff relates to their belief that the duck may have lived in a pond or park where she was regularly fed by people. It would explain her lack of fear of humans.
The center does not recommend the feeding of wildlife. In a video on the center’s site, attached to the blog post about the mallard duck, center staff explain that feeding these animals can be extremely harmful to their health.
According to the center, the mallard duck will be kept in its care and receive therapies designed to remove the lead from her system. Staff will also evaluate her ability to live independently based on how heavily she relies on or is habituated to humans.
