Injured Mallard Hen
August 19, 2020
This mallard hen was found wrapped up so badly in fishing line that she was bound to a dock. The finders were able to cut her free and drive her to the PAWS Wildlife Center. During the exam and subsequent x-rays, our rehabilitators discovered she had accidentally ingested a fishing hook. Our veterinary team expertly removed the hook from her esophagus and repaired the damaged tissue. Through steady, prolonged care, our rehabilitation team nursed her back from the injury. She made a full recovery and was released back to her home lake! We would like to give a special shout out to the finders. They later snorkeled around the docks and shoreline nearby the incident and removed all the fishing line they could find. This saved many wild animals from suffering debilitating injuries in the future. Many Washington State parks have monofilament (fishing) line recycle bins where you can safely discard used line. Check out this list to find a recycle bin near you.