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Duckling season Perth - August 2024

It’s duckling season

Duckling season is well and truly upon us!

So far this month, we’ve …

  • Rescued a Pacific black duck mum and her 8 ducklings after they had fallen down a stormwater drain and relocated them to nearby Lake Gwelup
  • Relocated 12 little shelduck ducklings and their parents from a Coles loading dock to a nearby wetland
  • Relocated a Pacific black duck mum and her 10 ducklings to the safety of Jualbup Lake
  • Rescued 6 orphaned Pacific black ducklings and 1 wood duck duckling after a wild night on Perth’s roads resulted in their parents fleeing
  • Enticed an orphaned wood duck duckling out of the hard-to-reach depths of a drain with the help of recorded wood duck calls and some caring and very resourceful local residents!

And there’s more! For more photos and details, please visit our Facebook page.

As always, thank you to all involved for giving their time to give all these little darlings a chance at life! ❤️❤️❤️

Please keep an eye out for 🦆 families in need of assistance. Some little things you can do to help ducks:

1. Allow ducks to cross the road safely by slowing down or safely stopping your vehicles as they approach. Motor vehicle collisions are one of the leading causes of duckling and duck death in Perth.

2. Keep cats contained or inside so they aren’t out predating ducklings. Cats are a major cause of duckling death in Perth.

3. If you find orphaned ducklings, collect them quickly, contain them in a box or towel and take them directly to your closest wildlife centre.

4. DO NOT ALLOW ORPHANED DUCKLINGS TO GET WET! This is extremely important because orphaned ducklings chill and die if they get wet. Instead, keep them warm and dry until you can get them to a wildlife centre.

5. If you live somewhere near a road where ducks and ducklings cross, please contact your shire about erecting ducklings crossing signs to warn motorists. Now is the time to do this.

6. Place mesh over drains to prevent ducklings falling in, or if they are public area / road drains where you’ve seen ducklings fall in previously, contact your local shire about installing duckling safe drains. Now is the time to do this!

7. Keep dogs on leashes if you are walking around wetlands, natural areas and parks. Dogs are a major cause of duck and duckling deaths in Perth.

8. If you see ducks nesting in trees or palms above, consider placing a sign below to warn others that ducklings are expected and to keep children and pets away from the area.

9. In the case of Black Swans, report any black swans nests to the local shire so they can implement protection to keep dogs, people and cats away from the nests.

10. Keep wetlands healthy and free form roaming cats, dogs and foxes! Report any roaming cats, dogs or foxes to local authorities.

11. Immediately transport orphaned or injured ducklings to licensed rehabilitation centres. It is unlawful to keep native wildlife, including ducklings. And native ducklings have a much better chance of rehab and release if handed into wildlife centres who rehab waterfowl.

12. If you find ducklings in your pool and their parent/s are around, make your pool duckling safe by installing a duckling ramp. Some shade cloth nailed onto a plank of wood and placed at the edge of the pool may be sufficient. Also place a grate on the pool filter intake to prevent ducklings getting sucked into the filter.

Thank you to Darling Range Wildlife Shelter WA for the above text (reproduced with permission)

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