In a daring act of bravery, Lewis Wilson, a rafting guide in Llangollen, North Wales, rescued a stranded duckling at the Town Falls rapids.
With the duckling’s mother nowhere in sight, Wilson couldn’t ignore the little one’s plight and took immediate action.
Swiftly maneuvering his kayak through the challenging rapids, Wilson located the trapped duckling and scooped it up, whisking it away to calmer waters.
“After rescuing [the duckling], he kept it overnight with him in his van before he traveled to us the next day,” says Deb Bolger of Cuan Wildlife Rescue. “The duckling kept him awake as it was cold. So basically, he slept with the duckling in his hands to keep it warm. As ducklings aren’t waterproof, they can die very quickly if they get cold.”
The next day, Wilson handed over the rescued duckling to Cuan Wildlife Rescue, where it joined a family of other orphaned ducklings.
The kind-hearted rafting guide’s extraordinary efforts did not go unnoticed, with heartfelt appreciation expressed by the rescue center.
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“The duckling wasn’t in a bad state as Lewis had managed to keep it warm during the journey but was hungry,” Bolger shares. “The duckling was placed in an incubator with three other ducklings that had been admitted to us a day before.”
Over the next 50 to 60 days, they will receive the necessary care and attention until they are ready to venture into the wild.
“From here, they will be transferred to a larger pen with a small pool and heat lamps, and then their last stage will be into our larger outdoor waterfowl pool. When they are about 60 days old, they will be released into nearby pools, lakes, and rivers.”
When the baby duckling met the others, he seemed so happy.
“He was so pleased once the other ducklings started to appear and cheered up to no end. They will all be released together back into the wild once they are about 60 days old and will stay together for a time.”
Wilson’s heroism saved a life and ensured that the duckling would grow up surrounded by new companions, forming bonds that would carry them through their journey back to nature.
“Lewis, you went above and beyond the call of a raft guide, and all of us at Cuan Wildlife Rescue really appreciate your efforts and kindness in rescuing this duckling,” a Facebook post from Cuan Wildlife Rescue states.
Wilson’s selflessness and compassion have allowed the duckling to thrive and return to its natural habitat, forming lasting bonds along the way. We celebrate this extraordinary act of heroism.
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