JUPITER FARMS – Busch Wildlife Sanctuary’s newest resident is a little fuzzy gray duck who was raised by a family who thought she needed their help.
They found her alone as a duckling and kept her as a pet for a few months. Because of this, Maybelline the wood duck – who got her name because markings around her eyes look like eyeliner – never learned how to survive on her own. She isn’t as strong as other ducks because she wasn’t able to dive, swim and fly in the wild and she didn’t get the right nutrition.
Once Maybelline’s owners learned that it was illegal to keep a wood duck – which is a protected species – as a pet, they surrendered her to the animal rescue and rehabilitation sanctuary along Rocky Pines Road in Jupiter Farms.
Amy Kight, its sanctuary’s executive director, wants to warn people about the potential harm they could cause a wild animal by taking it in as a pet or assuming it is an orphan in need of help.
“This just shows that people can have the best of intentions, but it doesn’t always pan out,” said Kight. “If (animals) are not raised with other animals of their same species, how would they know how to relate with them?”
It is baby season at the sanctuary, a time when it receives more than 1,000 baby animals. About half of them were likely unintentionally kidnapped by people who didn’t know the animal was doing fine on its own, Kight said.
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Who is Busch Wildlife Sanctuary’s newest addition?
Maybelline is a wood duck who is about 1 year old. She has a fun, bubbly personality.
She follows humans around like a puppy dog and will even sit in their laps if she has the chance, a spokesperson for the sanctuary said.
When she arrived at Busch Wildlife in August, she seemed surprised to see the other birds – a mottled duck, pelicans and a royal tern – in her habitat. She has since gotten more used to interacting with them.
What is baby season at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary?
Baby season happens every spring, when many wild animals give birth.
It is the busiest time of the year for the sanctuary because it receives more than 1,000 orphaned baby animals, which sanctuary staff will take care of for weeks until they are old enough to survive in the wild.
There are at least 188 animal patients at the sanctuary now, Kight said.
One unusual thing about this year’s baby season is that the sanctuary now has each of the five owl species found in Florida – something Kight hasn’t seen in the more than 20 years she has been there.
What should you do if you find a baby animal alone?
If a person finds a baby animal that they think is an orphan, reach out to Busch Wildlife Sanctuary.
A staff member can then review photos or a video of the animal to identify the species, behaviors, condition and determine where the animal is in life.
”One thing we see a lot of is, unfortunately, well-intended ‘kidnapping,’ ” Kight said. People see a baby and automatically assume it’s an orphan, even though mom is just in the next yard.”
Does it cost money to go to Busch Wildlife Sanctuary?
There are no required fees to visit Busch Wildlife. Admission is by donation.
Busch Wildlife location and hours
Where: 17855 Rocky Pines Road, Jupiter.
Hours: Seven days a week from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. It is closed on New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Information: www.buschwildlife.org, 561-575-3399
Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: So cute! It’s baby season at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. Meet Maybelline, its newest addition
Reporting by Maya Washburn, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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