2 ducks have been surrogate parents to 30 orphans

More than 30 orphaned ducklings at the Atlantic Wildlife Institute now have a new mom and dad. 

Fred and Ethel, two mallards at the institute, have become surrogate parents to the flock. 

The duo were brought in a year ago. Usually, the plan is to release injured animals into the wild once they recover, but the two weren't able to get healthy enough to be released.

Even though Fred and Ethel are still struggling with wing fractures, they've still been able to take some ducklings under their wings, so to speak.

Ethel took to it right away like mother hen saying, 'This is the drill. This is what you are as a duck and you'll follow my lead.- Pam Novak, Atlantic Wildlife Institute

"We were hoping going into the spring that maybe they can help us work our caseload, so that's what we've started to do with them," said Pam Novak of the Atlantic Wildlife Institute. 

"I looked at them and I'm like, `We're going to see if we can have you work in the program and put you to use and see if you can help showing ducks how to be ducks.' So they're acting as surrogates."

Novak started by putting eight of the older ducks with the two mallards to see how they would respond. She says if they put in the younger, week-old ducklings, they would be in more danger if Fred and Ethel rejected them. 

Shift - NB8:54Injured ducks act as surrogates for orphans

Two ducks known as Fred and Ethel are stepping in to raise more than 30 ducklings left orphaned at the Atlantic Wildlife Institute.

But the plan quickly became successful.

"It was kind of comical watching when we put them in, and Ethel took to it right away like mother hen saying, 'This is the drill, this is what you are as a duck and you'll follow my lead,'" said Novak.

Novak says that while Ethel takes charge, Fred just sits in the background and lets her control the orphaned ducklings.

"It's really good to have a pair of adult mallards to take on that role, because it minimizes the contact we need to have with these ducklings. So as they're growing, it's best for them to imprint and socialize on their own species. So that's the role that Ethel is now taking on," said Novak.

Now that the ducks are learning how to walk and talk like a duck from parent-figures, instead of being left to figure things out for themselves. they'll have a better chance of survival when released, said Novak.