Ducklings rescued from Kitchener sewer

A pair of ducklings are safe and sound after being rescued from a sewer by Kitchener staff.

Natalie Lyon was on shift Wednesday morning when a coworker heard noises coming from a nearby sewer gate. When she looked inside, she found two baby ducklings trapped underground.

“The mother duck was just kind of roaming around,” said Lyon.

Luckily, a group of bylaw officers were able to manually open the grate and free the two siblings.

“We just reached our hands in and pulled them up. You could tell that they were super happy to be reunited,” said Lyon.

Video shows the family being reunited.

Once the mother had everyone accounted for, city staff gave the reunited family a safe escort to Victoria Park.

Viewer video shows Kitchener bylaw reaching in to grab the ducklings. (Submitted Eric Grimes)

Common occurrence

According to Hobbitstee Wildlife Refuge, it is unfortunately common for ducklings to be stuck in sewers.

“The adults walk cross it and they do fine and the little ones walk across it and they fall through the gaps. So it’s a fairly common occurrence,” said wildlife custodian Chantal Theijn.

Experts said if a duckling is trapped, the mother will stay with it until she needs to start worrying about the rest of the flock.

If you come across a wild animal trapped under a grate, Hobbitstee suggested calling city staff immediately and take the proper precautions to save to the animal.

“If it’s roadside or on the road you have to be careful for traffic. Obviously, when you lift the sewer grate there’s always a risk of somebody falling in, stepping in, so all those logical cautions are in place. The duck parents really just want their babies back,” said Theijn.