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Mama Duck Parades Her Babies Through Longterm Care Home Each Year

Some of my favorite animal stories are ones where they come in contact with humanity in their own unique ways. Sure, rescues are amazing too, but there is something about animals just doing what they do and expecting the humans around them to do their jobs.

In the case of a certain mother duck in Canandaigua, New York, their job is to make sure her babies don't wander off as she leads them out into the wide world.

The University of Rochester‘s Thompson Health Center has been doing just this for years, but it wasn't until 2019 that they shared the tradition.

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Each spring, the mama duck makes a nest in one of the inner courtyards of their M.M. Ewing Continuing Care Center. There, she lays her eggs and cares for her babies until they are ready to see the world.

But there is no way out of the courtyard other than through the facility itself.

This doesn't worry her, though. Instead, when the time comes, she begins to tap on the glass.

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This alerts the staff, who immediately plan for the big event: a baby duck parade through the center.

It always occurs sometime in mid-to-late-May and Mama Duck always follows the same route through the halls.

It's the staff and residents' job to make sure her babies don't wander off into the maze of corridors and rooms.

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They do that by walking along beside them and gently blocking and herding them in the right direction with random recycled cardboard and signage.

Once they have exited the building, the Mama takes a moment to ensure they're all present.

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Then she leads them off into the great wide world, leaving her humans to watch them all go.

At least until next year, when she'll return and do it all over again. Isn't that just the sweetest?!

h/t: PEOPLE, Facebook | Thompson Health

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