A touching video has shone a spotlight on the often unseen dedication of Australia’s wildlife rescuers and carers — many of whom volunteer their time and energy.
This week, Queensland wildlife volunteer Keith Porteous was celebrated online after he dismantled a downpipe on the Sunshine Coast to save a trapped plover chick. In the footage, Keith can be seen patiently working with pliers to prise the pipe apart, before finally receiving the tiny bird at the bottom.
“The rescue took around 40 minutes, locating the chick that could be heard, and then rescuing it. They also frequently fall down storm drains,” Keith, who runs the animal rescue service The Wildlife Rescuer, told Yahoo News Australia.
The chick was eventually reunited with its parents, who were watching nearby. Source: The Wildlife Rescuer.
Rescuer’s dedication praised after plover chick falls down drain
He explained that masked lapwing chicks, commonly known as plovers, face tough odds, with only about 10 per cent surviving due to predators and the risky nesting spots chosen by adults.
“This was the case here; they pick flat roofs a lot, giving the adults a good position to defend, but unfortunately, the chicks need to come down for food, as it is sparse on a roof. Consequently, they often fall down drains in this manner,” Keith said.
Plovers are “born quite advanced and feed on their own almost immediately,” he added. “The parents’ role is basically protection. During the rescue, they stayed nearby and could be heard calling. After the rescue, the chick is placed in a shady spot and observed from a distance until the parents take over, which successfully occurred.”
Footage of the incident quickly went viral, attracting thousands of reactions and praise for Keith’s mighty efforts.
“All that for a baby bird!? Damn dude, I LOVE you. You’re amazing, thank you,” one person wrote. Another called him “a bloody legend, mate,” while a third added: “Oh gosh, that’s a tricky one! Lucky plover.”
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