A man named Rick finally got to experience what Mother's Day felt like this year, thanks to 13 little ducks that thought he was their mother and followed him around all day.
A
man
named
Rick
finally
got
to
experience
what
Mother
's
Day
felt
like
this
year
,
thanks
to
13
little
ducks
that
thought
he
was
their
mother
and
followed
him
around
all
day
.
The unusual story began when the mother of the young chicks disappeared soon after laying the eggs.
The
unusual
story
began
when
the
mother
of
the
young
chicks
disappeared
soon
after
laying
the
eggs
.
In order to save them, Rick, who would not tell his last name or location, decided to place them in an incubator.
In
order
to
save
them
,
Rick
,
who
would
not
tell
his
last
name
or
location
,
decided
to
place
them
in
an
incubator
.
Therefore, when the chicks hatched, the first large moving object they saw was Rick and they immediately concluded that he was their "mother".
Therefore
,
when
the
chicks
hatched
,
the
first
large
moving
object
they
saw
was
Rick
and
they
immediately
concluded
that
he
was
their
``
mother
''
.
While this may seem odd, it is quite common among animals.
While
this
may
seem
odd
,
it
is
quite
common
among
animals
.
Known as imprinting, it is a natural biological phenomenon that occurs in newly born birds and mammals, allowing them to form a bond with their mothers as well as providing them with information about their own identity.
Known
as
imprinting
,
it
is
a
natural
biological
phenomenon
that
occurs
in
newly
born
birds
and
mammals
,
allowing
them
to
form
a
bond
with
their
mothers
as
well
as
providing
them
with
information
about
their
own
identity
.
For birds like ducks, geese and turkeys that start walking as soon as they hatch, the imprint occurs instantly, which is what happened in this case.
For
birds
like
ducks
,
geese
and
turkeys
that
start
walking
as
soon
as
they
hatch
,
the
imprint
occurs
instantly
,
which
is
what
happened
in
this
case
.
What's amazing is that researchers have discovered that young birds imprint themselves to the first moving thing they set eyes on, even if it is a lifeless object.
What
's
amazing
is
that
researchers
have
discovered
that
young
birds
imprint
themselves
to
the
first
moving
thing
they
set
eyes
on
,
even
if
it
is
a
lifeless
object
.
During their study they found young chicks attach themselves to gumboots, balls and even an electric train.
During
their
study
they
found
young
chicks
attach
themselves
to
gumboots
,
balls
and
even
an
electric
train
.
The downside of imprinting is that young animals have a hard time detaching themselves from their adopted 'mother'.
The
downside
of
imprinting
is
that
young
animals
have
a
hard
time
detaching
themselves
from
their
adopted
'mother
'
.
That means that they are often unable to return to the wild or socialize with their own species.
That
means
that
they
are
often
unable
to
return
to
the
wild
or
socialize
with
their
own
species
.
This is the reason researchers use innovative methods when raising animals in captive breeding programs.
This
is
the
reason
researchers
use
innovative
methods
when
raising
animals
in
captive
breeding
programs
.
At California and Arizona's Condor Recovery Project, the caretakers use hand puppets shaped like condors to raise the chicks, while researchers at the Hetaoping Research and Conservation Center in Western China are dressed in Panda suits to raise the severely endangered animals.
At
California
and
Arizona
's
Condor
Recovery
Project
,
the
caretakers
use
hand
puppets
shaped
like
condors
to
raise
the
chicks
,
while
researchers
at
the
Hetaoping
Research
and
Conservation
Center
in
Western
China
are
dressed
in
Panda
suits
to
raise
the
severely
endangered
animals
.
Rick is planning to keep his young 'kids' around for a while.
Rick
is
planning
to
keep
his
young
'kids
'
around
for
a
while
.
Once they get a little older, he plans to take them over to a neighborhood lake where will hopefully learn to mix with their own kind.
Once
they
get
a
little
older
,
he
plans
to
take
them
over
to
a
neighborhood
lake
where
will
hopefully
learn
to
mix
with
their
own
kind
.
A man named Rick finally got to experience what Mother's Day felt like this year, thanks to 13 little ducks that thought he was their mother and followed him around all day. The unusual story began when the mother of the young chicks disappeared soon after laying the eggs. In order to save them, Rick, who would not tell his last name or location, decided to place them in an incubator. Therefore, when the chicks hatched, the first large moving object they saw was Rick and they immediately concluded that he was their "mother".  While this may seem odd, it is quite common among animals. Known as imprinting, it is a natural biological phenomenon that occurs in newly born birds and mammals, allowing them to form a bond with their mothers as well as providing them with information about their own identity. For birds like ducks, geese and turkeys that start walking as soon as they hatch, the imprint occurs instantly, which is what happened in this case. What's amazing is that researchers have discovered that young birds imprint themselves to the first moving thing they set eyes on, even if it is a lifeless object. During their study they found young chicks attach themselves to gumboots, balls and even an electric train.  The downside of imprinting is that young animals have a hard time detaching themselves from their adopted 'mother'. That means that they are often unable to return to the wild or socialize with their own species. This is the reason researchers use innovative methods when raising animals in captive breeding programs. At California and Arizona's Condor Recovery Project, the caretakers use hand puppets shaped like condors to raise the chicks, while researchers at the Hetaoping Research and Conservation Center in Western China are dressed in Panda suits to raise the severely endangered animals.  Rick is planning to keep his young 'kids' around for a while. Once they get a little older, he plans to take them over to a neighborhood lake where will hopefully learn to mix with their own kind.