Authorities try to capture duck shot with blowdart

A female mallard and her brood of ducklings evaded animal control officials Thursday as they tried to capture her to remove a blowdart from her neck.

Roger Vanoordt, animal control supervisor for the city of Las Vegas, appealed to the public to refrain from feeding the duck. The wild duck was swimming on a manmade lake on the city's southwest side with seven or eight ducklings, he said.

"We want to get it hungry so we can approach it," Vanoordt said.

The duck was spooked by residents of the upscale neighborhood and media who turned out to watch the rescue efforts.

Vanoordt believes the duck was shot earlier this week, possibly by a neighborhood youth.

The dart was imbedded in the duck's neck, Vanoordt said. It appeared to be several inches long, and protruded in one side of the neck and out the other.

"It doesn't appear to be causing any major disability," he said. "We don't think it's done a lot of damage, but we need to get it out before it gets infected. It doesn't appear to be life-threatening at this time. It probably looks a lot worse than it is."

Animal control and Nevada Division of Wildlife workers called off their efforts to capture the duck with nets at mid-day Thursday, hoping hunger would force her to be more cooperative.

The hope is to capture the duck and her babies, treat her for the wound, then relocate the family, Vanoordt said.

Authorities were not concerned about the duck flying away, since her ducklings were too young to fly.

"She going to stay as long as the ducklings are there," he said.

They may try to shoot the duck with a tranquilizer gun, Vanoordt said.

"First we have to gain the duck's condfidence and make it willing to accept food," he said.

This desert city has become a favorite stop for migrating ducks, Vanoordt said, because of the growing number of lakes and ponds

The incident was reminiscent of Donna the Duck, a wild duck who captured national attention here 18 years ago when she was shot with an arrow. She defied rescue efforts for a week before she was captured and the arrow removed.

archive