Ducks Dumped in NYC Pond Have New Home in Hudson Valley

A raft of ducks rescued from a New York City pond has found a new home in the Hudson Valley.

The ducks were discovered by park rangers late last week swimming in Flushing’s Bowne Park. According to amny.com, the 11 domestic ducks are not able to survive in the wild and were most likely dumped by someone who was unable to sell them.

It's believed the ducks were let loose into a pond in November. Without the ability to fly or to protect themselves from cold temperatures, the animals were almost certain to die unless rangers intervened.

Watching video from the rescue, it's safe to say that wrangling ducks is not an easy job. But luckily, all 11 ducks were rounded up and saved from harm's way.

The illegal release of domestic ducks has increased in frequency since the COVID-19 pandemic began. People who purchase small ducklings as pets quickly realize that these cute, fuzzy animals soon turn into full-grown ducks that are not easy to take care of. Without realizing that domestic ducks can't survive in the wild, pet owners think it's ok to just set them free.

Luckily, these ducks have been saved and will now be moving up to the Hudson Valley to live out the remainder of their days. The ducks were transported to the Goose Pond Mountain animal sanctuary in Goshen where they will be kept in a predator-proof enclosure. When the weather warms up, the ducks will be able to go outside and even splash around in kiddie pools. You can find out more about the animal rescue on their Facebook page.