'Olive' ducks for cover from rescue Brisbane

[Donna]

WHEN a little, native pacific black duck dubbed “Olive� chose to make the failed $1 billion CBD Vision Tower site its home, it took a community effort to save her.

Filled with polluted water from the Brisbane floods, the abandoned site between Mary and Margaret streets in the city was no place for a duck. Scuttled by the global financial crisis, the site sports a $25 million, seven-level hole in the ground.

Nearby office worker Kylie Campbell was quick to alert the RSPCA to the duck’s plight after first sighting it last Tuesday and becoming concerned it was injured.

The RSPCA then contacted Natalie Forrest, vice-president of Pelican and Seabird Rescue Inc, whose unenviable task it was to get down and dirty via a boogie board to rescue the duck.

After 15 minutes of playing chasey with the uncooperative duck, Natalie emerged victorious, bird safely in hand.

And, lucky for Olive too for she was then diagnosed with toxic poisoning at the Brisbane Bird and Exotics Vet Service, MacGregor.

Recovering well after being put on an IV drip, Olive will be released back into the wild next week.

“It was a real community effort, this little rescue,� Ms Forrest said. “It took a while to get hold of the duck, who was filthy and exhausted and really sick, but she’s now doing really well after surviving that filthy water leftover from the floods.

“The water worried me too, but Good Time Surfboards, Woolloongabba, were quick to donate a $150 wetsuit for me to wear into the giant toxic pond.�