Inspectors Duck, Dash and Dive to Catch a Couple of Little Quackers

Photo Credit: SPCA Midrand via Facebook

Getting their “ducks in a row” proved easier said than done for Midrand SPCA’s Inspectors, who recently braved quacking chaos to save four abandoned ducklings.

Midrand, South Africa (06 January 2026) – Catching ducks is no child’s play, and Midrand SPCA’s Inspector Theo Mokgatle could certainly tell you a thing or two about it.

Over the weekend, he received a call from a local resident named Shohan, who had been closely monitoring a group of ducklings. The young birds had been alone for four days with no sign of their parents.

As the SPCA knows all too well, ducks are lightning-fast masters of “ducking, diving, and disappearing,” making them notoriously difficult to capture. With this challenge in mind and the urgency of the situation rising, Inspector Mokgatle and GM Inspector Pam Pretorius headed out to the scene to brave the rescue.

Shohan had been waiting for them on arrival, and together quickly formed a plan of action.

“Without hesitation, he jumped into a canoe and paddled off, tirelessly herding the quacking chaos toward a more confined area of the dam. With ducklings diving, darting and hiding in the reeds, it was no easy task,” Midrand SPCA said.

And after all the paddles and splashes, only one duckling was caught! The rest executed a perfect underwater escape and were gone in seconds.

“The team went back to the drawing board. Guided by Inspector Mokgatle and a friend of Shohan, he paddled on, circling the dam again and again until, at last, the little ones were herded back.”

During the second attempt, Pretorius opted to stand as still as a statue with a net in hand, patiently waiting for the perfect moment.

“And then – scoop! Elation all round. The ducklings were finally safe.”

Such situations test every nerve, but these dedicated inspectors never give up on the animals who need them most.

“A heartfelt thank you to Inspector Theo Mokgatle and our GM, Inspector Pam Pretorius, for their patience, determination and unwavering commitment. A huge thank you as well to Shohan Mootheeram for reporting the situation and for his tireless and his friend’s hands-on efforts in helping save these tiny lives,” the SPCA thanked.

The ducklings were taken to the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital, where a team, despite being done for the work day, stayed on to receive the baby yellow-billed birdies. They were checked, fed and settled with a feather duster to snuggle into.