The loneliest duck in world, living in puddle on remote atoll
A CREATURE described as the “loneliest duck in the world” has appeared on the remote Pacific island of Niue, a tiny nation with a population of 1,600 which – until now – had no ducks.
The mallard, nicknamed “Trevor” after Trevor Mallard, a New Zealand MP, startled locals after arriving on the island earlier this year, though its origins remain a mystery.
Niue, a coral atoll which is self-governing in free association with New Zealand, has no wetlands or ponds, so the duck lives in a puddle. The local fire service regularly adds water.
Randall Haines, a resident, told ABC News: “It seems quite happy, although it doesn’t have many friends.”
Niue is one of the smallest countries in the world at 100 sq miles, and is a three-and-a-half hour flight from Auckland. Claire Trevett, a journalist at The New Zealand Herald, recently visited for a holiday and learnt about the duck after asking for directions.
“Someone said, ‘Turn right past the duck’ and then the whole story came out – the only duck on Niue,” she said.
Locals believe the duck blew over in a storm or was brought on a ship. The duck has been fed by locals but has been bullied by a rooster that became aware of the regular food supply.
Authorities have been considering relocating it or bringing in a companion. According to The Guardian, one option for making the duck feel less lonely would involve bringing in replica birds.