May 28, 2025
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Ducklings rescued from storm drain by Yorkville police

By Joey Weslo
Fresh from his swearing-in with the Yorkville Police Department, Officer Sam Tickel helps rescue 11 ducklings from a storm drain. The officers were able to reunite the ducklings with their waiting mother.

Fresh from his swearing-in with the Yorkville Police Department, Officer Sam Tickel helps rescue 11 ducklings from a storm drain on Sunday, May 25. The officers were able to reunite the ducklings with their waiting mother. (Photo Provided By The Yorkville Police Department)

Answering the call to service comes in many forms – sometimes even “duck wrangler.” When 11 fuzzy ducklings trailing their mother fell into a storm drain on Redhorse Lane in Yorkville, local police jumped into action.

Eleven tiny ducklings fell through this storm drain in Yorkville while trailing their mother. Officers with the Yorkville Police Department were able to locate the ducklings, removing the storm drain, before conducting a rescue operation.

Eleven tiny ducklings fell through this storm drain in Yorkville while trailing their mother. Officers with the Yorkville Police Department were able to locate the ducklings, removing the storm drain, before conducting a rescue operation. (Photo Provided By The Yorkville Police Department )

After a resident alerted the Yorkville Police Department on Sunday, May 25, officers removed the storm drain to better access the trapped ducklings.

Officer Sam Tickel maneuvered down inside the storm drain to reach the ducklings one at a time, carefully hoisting them to safety.

All 11 ducklings were rescued and placed in a cardboard box by the officers while the frantic mother watched from a distance.

After being rescued from a storm drain in Yorkville, ducklings were carefully placed in a box by the Yorkville Police Department, before be released to the loving embrace of their mother.

After being rescued from a storm drain in Yorkville, ducklings were carefully placed in a box by the Yorkville Police Department, before being released to the loving embrace of their mother. (Photo Provided By The Yorkville Police Department)

“We were able to get all 11 and reunite them with Momma duck,” Deputy Chief Garrett Carlyle said. “It speaks to the quality of our community when your local police have the time and opportunity to handle calls like this.”

The officers then released the 11 ducklings close to their quacking mother.

Upon realizing they were safely with their mother again, the yellow-and-brown ducklings fell in line behind their mother and waddled off to enjoy another Yorkville sunny day.