Global Courant
A mama duck needed help after her babies were in trouble.
Fortunately, a California couple was on their way to lunch and jumped at the chance.
Crystal Guinnane and her husband Gary were on their way to grab a bite to eat in their hometown of Manteca when they spotted a stressed mama duck, Guinnane told McClatchy News in a July 9 phone interview.
@thatonegirl209 On our way to lunch today we saw a mama ducking out in the 85° heat croaking on the road and looking visibly distressed at a drain grate. My mother heart told me something was wrong and I felt like she had lost her babies down the drain. We pulled up and my husband looked down the grate and saw they were babies trying to jump out, he pulled the grate off and climbed into the storm drain. there were a total of eight baby ducks in it that were alive. We were able to save all eight of them. Unfortunately, one of them had already passed away. And part two of the reunion and what happened to one of the ducks afterwards. #An#Animal rescuee#to rescuea#baby ducks Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O’Hara) – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Daniel Pemberton
The nine ducklings were trapped at the bottom of a sewer drain after falling through the grates, according to a TikTok video posted by Guinnane on July 8.
“We live at Bass Pro Shop and they have a big lake in front,” Guinnane said. “We go there often and every spring there are ducks, so we always go and see them. We weren’t expecting babies in the summer.”
After turning the corner, Guinnane saw the mother duck standing in the middle of the street near the grate, frantically trembling.
“I just felt that maternal instinct in me,” said the mother of a 6-year-old boy. “I just knew something was wrong.”
The woman’s “mommy heart” told her that the duck was waiting for her babies.
After expressing the concerns to her husband, the man “stopped to one side, lifted the grate and jumped down there.”
Typically, conservationists tell the public to leave baby animals alone, McClatchy News reported.
Story continues
“If you are a baby animal that is injured or sick, call your local wildlife shelter or nearest fish and wildlife office,” McClatchy News reported.
However, Guinnane’s husband plucked the babies from the drain while pushing them to their mother.
“There were nine babies there, but one had died,” she said, “hiding under the little steps leading up to the grate.”
After the rescue mission was completed, the pair went to lunch and made their way to the pond to see how the duck family was doing.
“My husband counted all the ducks and we realized there were only seven of them,” Guinnane said. “After searching the bushes for the other duck, my husband went out to look for it and found it squashed in the parking lot.”
While two of the ducks did not survive, Guinnane said the couple will check every crate they come across for lost baby ducks.
TikTok users agreed that the heartfelt rescue deserves praise.
“I literally wish you the very best in life, you guys are amazing,” said one person.
“Not all heroes wear capes,” said another person.
Manteca is located 60 miles south of Sacramento.
Beloved 17-year-old sea lion with booming voice and heart nose dies in CA aquarium
Watch mama duck lead babies through the elementary school hallways in Virginia’s adorable video
