Upon seeing our flock of itik when Explorations Pre-school visited the Forest Club last August, my good friend teacher Beni Ancheta-Veloso, who co-owns the school, asked me if we could adopt their school's ducks, who needed a larger, healthier environment to live in. I gladly said "yes".
The school first received these animals as ducklings, and raised them into full-sized adults. Now, the school grounds have become too small for their much larger bodies.
So Teacher Beni prepped the kids (and herself!) to say goodbye to the ducks. After two weeks of saying their goodbyes, we sent cages to Explorations, and transported the ducks to their new home at the Forest Club, a two hour journey by car.
We first kept the ducks caged for a week to get them used to their new food and new environment.
It was funny, but when we finally released them by the lagoon last week, these city ducks were visibly afraid of the water! They would remain by the lagoon's edge, and would not venture out into the water to join the flock of native itik.
It was only when I visited yesterday when I gently prodded them into the water. They swam awkwardly at first, then hurriedly went back to shore. I had to push them gently back in, and it was only on their second dip that they became more comfortable in the water. I definitely cannot claim that "these animals took to the lagoon like a duck to water!" Bwahahaha!
In time, we hope that these ducks will learn to enjoy the lagoon more, develop an appetite for kuhol, and join our growing team of bio-pest control agents.
Thank you, Teacher Beni!
 Feeding on palay by the lagoon
Afraid to go in the water
Their first awkard swim
Quickly swimming back to shore
Now more comfortable in the lagoon, like a duck to water!
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