The action movie-like rescue of Ed the Duck in 1990
Duck evaded capture for nearly two weeks with a plastic six-pack ring around his bill
His rescue involved a long chase, a net launcher and a jump off a pedestrian footbridge at a Calgary park.
Fortunately for Ed the Duck, it was all going to turn out fine.
In 1990, the male mallard had ended up with a plastic six-pack ring wound around his bill.
And despite that predicament, he didn't exactly welcome the humans trying to track him down to help him.
When Jeff caught up with Ed
For nearly two weeks, he evaded capture.
But when the humans did catch up with a duck nicknamed Ed at Prince's Island Park on July 4, 1990, the drama was caught on tape and reported on by the CBC's Collene Ferguson.
Jeff Marley was the person who managed to make contact with the green-headed mallard, by jumping off the footbridge to get to Ed, who was restrained via the net fired in his direction.
"With the help of his friend, Marley brought Ed safely to shore," Ferguson said, in a report that aired on CBC Calgary's Newshour later that day.
Lending a helping hand
Marley then asked Ferguson for help, asking her to snip the plastic off Ed, while he held the duck steady. (A picture of that moment was featured on the front page of the Calgary Herald newspaper the next day.)
Soon enough, Ed was free of the plastic, the net and the people who had come to his rescue.
"It took many frustrating days, but the effort paid off," Ferguson said in her report. "Ed the Duck is finally free."
The only downside was the Marley appeared to have injured his ankle when landing in the water, Ferguson reported.
