Pekin Duck
by Rick Shea
Title
Pekin Duck
Artist
Rick Shea
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
The American Pekin Duck, imported from China in the 1870s, was bred primarily for its tasty meat. This is good for the humans who like to eat duck meat, but not so good for the duck, as one consequence of selecting for plump, hefty ducks is that they've lost the ability to fly. This leaves them defenceless in the wild and so they are mostly seen in commercial duck farms and sometimes as domesticated pets.
One afternoon at Serena Gundy Park, I found this female hanging out with dozens of mallards in a quiet bend of the West Don River. While I gather she might have been able to survive the winter weather, the greatest threat would have been predators, given her inability to take flight. Luckily, I understand she has since been rescued and taken to a sanctuary where she'll be safe.
Uploaded
December 28th, 2021
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