Just as the collective hopes and dreams of Columbia’s campus were being crushed by the weight of finals… ducklings appear. Mama Duck and her dozen or so babies, waddling and quacking their way around the side of Butler today (did these guys get busy?!). Alas! A heavy wind sweeps a few duckling off the ledge, and they are separated from Mama Duck. A crowd gathers, and a few souls valiantly reunite the distressed family. The puppies have been upstaged.
Duckling Rescue from Bwog on Vimeo.
22 Comments
@Anonymous I feel bad gor them ducklings I think I have the same kind of duckling…
@Jennifer For the record, animal control was *not* here, and these ducks did not get relocated. There were last spotted trying to cross Broadway at 116th this morning. For everyone’s information, ducklings after they hatched need to be secured and moved with the mom to a pond. It’s very unlikely they can navigate the streets on their own, and often end up falling down sewers or run over.
@Columbia Longtimer @Jennifer,
When we left the ducks behind the bushes on the west side of Butler an animal control person was there. His name is Ron and he works for a company contracted to the University. He was on the phone with someone and asking for assistance to move the ducks. Disappointed the guy did not go through with what he promised.
@Jennifer There is no agency that will come out to relocate ducks like this. Actual Animal Control (Animal Care & Control of NYC) will not come out for a situation like this, nor would I rely on anyone contracted to the University (Bulfamante? Their job is to take care of the trees on campus, not wildlife). Your best bet is to contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for help. I did not become aware of this situation until this morning, and by the time I got here (I do not live on campus), the ducks were gone. We can only hope that someone got them to safety. In the future, please contact me for situations like these at jlc62@columbia.edu and I will help.
@Columbia Longtimer Jennifer,
Ron doesn’t work for the Bufamante (the landscapers) he is part of the group that responds to small animals like squirrels getting into classrooms.
Thanks for the information and I will contact you if we ever see another duck emergency.
@Anonymous like another
“Office of Vertical Transportation”
@jennifer I am a licensed wildlife rehabber. Can someone confirm for me that the entire family has been relocated to a pond?
@Ayn Rand Those ducklings should have died. They were too weak and stupid to stay with their mother. Therefore the people in this video are immoral.
@SEAS '13 ^Guys who say that their favorite book is The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged are immediately chucked into the friendzone for this very reason.
@Anonymous Why didn’t you just pick it up with your hands?
@um because if you touch a baby bird (ducklings included) the oils on your hands rub off on its feathers and the mom won’t take it back because it smells like a human.
@Anonymous Er, no.
@Really? This is a complete old wives tail. I hope your soul is ripped out in your sleep by fan death.
@Anonymous so many feels!
@Columbia Longtimer I am in the first frame of this video. Red jacket and glasses. We were watching the ducklings follow their mother along the ledge. When three or four ducklings fell off the ledge and started waddling around, lost and sad…
Everyone stared or took videos with phones. Then I realized Momma Duck and the other ducklings were not going to be reunited with the lost ducklings unless we helped. I said, “Come on guys, let’s get the little ducks back on the shelf.”
Thanks to the three guys who used the manuscript I was holding and helped corral the very wriggly ducklings. I have worked here for years, I have my masters degree from CU. This melted my jaded heart. Yes, we did say the ducklings were going for their Swim Test.
Yes, I know finals are incredibly stressful. That is why I was so impressed with the undergrads who took the time to wrangle the little ducklings. Your karma must be at 11, to paraphrase Spinal Tap.
Finally: a guy from Animal Control came over and helped get the duck family closer to the park and a pond to swim in.
@Grateful Columbian Thank you for putting my mind at ease. I couldn’t study not knowing what happened to the lost duckling :(
@Anonymous <3
@Anonymous BWOG STOP YOU’RE MAKING ME CRY
@Anonymous this is adorable
moar wisdom please
@cruisin' UWS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt9zSfinwFA
@Anonymous wait.. why are they putting the ducky ducks in the dining tray?
are they going to to to… eat the ducky wuckies? :(
@Gucci Mane Bitch, I might…
awwww, ducklings!