BLACKSBURG, Va. – A waddle back to the wild — that’s what happened as seven orphaned ducks returned to their natural habitat Wednesday.
The feathered friends were rescued by the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center in Roanoke, but now they have a new home at the Virginia Tech Duck Pond.
“They’ve got their flight feathers and they’re capable of withstanding the moisture, they’re exposed to in the pond, they’re adults, they’re ready to go and on top of that, they’re eating us out of house and home at the wildlife center, so as much as we are sad to see them go, it’s very much time for them to go. We can’t afford to keep feeding them much longer,” said Chester Leonard, executive director of the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center.
This release also marks the start of their 24-hour Giving Day. They hope to raise $15,000 which will help support their wildlife rescue efforts.