Couple stops to help ducklings trapped in storm drain

It’s always inspiring to see everyday people go out of their way to help animals in need. That was the case recently, when one couple stopped to rescue a group of baby ducks who had fallen into a storm drain gate.

Crystal Guinnane and her husband Gary, from Manteca, California, were on their way to lunch when they saw a mama duck standing outside a storm drain in 85 degree heat.

The duck was quacking and looked distressed — Crystal, a mother herself, could sense that she needed help: “My mama heart told me that something was wrong,” she wrote on TikTok.

The couple pulled over and discovered that the mama’s baby ducklings had fallen into a sewer storm drain grate. The ducklings were trapped and attempting to jump out.

They knew they had to help. Gary lifted the grate and climbed down into the storm drain, and started lifting the ducks to safety.

@thatonegirl209
On our way to lunch today we noticed a mama duck out in the 85° heat standing in the road quacking and looking visibly distressed at a storm drain grate. My mama heart told me that something was wrong and I had a feeling that she had lost her babies inside of the storm drain. We pulled over and my husband looked down the grate and noticed that they were babies trying to jump out, he pulled the grate off and climbed into the storm drain. there were a total of eight baby ducks inside that were alive. We were able to save all eight of them. But one of them was unfortunately already dead. And part two of the reunion and what happened to one of the ducks next. ananimalrescueerescuea#babyducks
♬ Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O’Hara) – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Daniel Pemberton

In a follow-up video, Crystal said that the ducklings reunited with their mom, and on their way back from lunch they saw the family swimming together in a nearby pond.

Sadly, two of the ducklings didn’t make it: one was found dead in the storm drain and another had been run over by a vehicle in a parking lot. But seven of the ducklings were safe and sound thanks to their intervention.

“We live by Bass Pro Shop and they have a big lake in front,” Crystal told McClatchy News. “We go there often and every spring there’s ducklings so we always go see them. We weren’t expecting babies in the summer.”

@thatonegirl209
Part 2: Duck reunion. When we left lunch, we saw mom and dad with her babies swimming happily in the pond. Unfortunately, there were only seven out of the eight that we had saved. Once we got back to our truck, we noticed that one of the baby ducks was ran over in the parking lot. So unfortunately, two of the mama ducks babies were lost 😢 #animalrescue #rescue #babyducklings
♬ Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O’Hara) – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Daniel Pemberton

Wildlife officials told McClatchy News that it’s better to leave wildlife alone, and if you see a hurt baby animal it’s better to call a wildlife rehabilitation center or fish and game office.

However, many people praised the couple for stepping in and saving the ducks. “Not all heroes wear capes,” one person commented on TikTok.