CARLSBAD–The first ducklings of the season have arrived on schedule at Rancho Coastal Humane Society’s San Diego Wildlife Center.
Their arrival is an indication that more wildlife babies will soon be on the way.
“We received 10 tiny ducklings from a good Samaritan who found them in the road with no sign of their mother anywhere,” San Diego Wildlife Center Director Trish Jackman said. “It is possible she got chased away and was trying to make her way back. But it was risky to leave them in the middle of the road without her. So far, all are strong and doing well.”
According to the wildlife center, “Baby Season” calendar, baby duck season begins in March and continues through the end of July.
“There’s an explosion of ducklings separated from their mothers during this time of year.” The care providers at SDWC will keep them warm, feed them a special food designed for waterfowl, and give them supervised swimming lessons,” Jackman said.
Raising ducks can have tragic consequences if it’s not done correctly.
“In the wild, their mothers would keep them safe and warm. They’re not hatched with waterproof feathers. That develops as they grow. Their mothers supervise them to make sure they learn to swim, but not before their feathers are able to repel the water. At the San Diego Wildlife Center their enclosure has a shallow pool that allows them to adjust to the water but still stand up. They have limited access, like their mothers would allow,” she said.
The wildlife center’s birds and rabbits earlier this spring were also right in line with the baby calendar. Baby Hummingbird season begins in February and continues through late June. Rabbit babies are generally born starting in early March and continue through the end of July.
For more information about Rancho Coastal Humane Society’s San Diego Wildlife Center and a list of supplies needed to care for the new arrivals visit sdwildlife.org, “Like” SDWildlifeCenter on Facebook, visit the San Diego Wildlife Center at 2380 Camino Vida Roble, Unit G, in Carlsbad or call (760) 621-68
