The Northwest Raptor & Wildlife Center, the all-volunteer Sequim wildlife rescue and rehabilitation non-profit, successfully released the duckling that was shot with a five inch metal blow dart in Port Angeles' Lincoln Park in late May. The duckling was originally rescued by Port Angeles resident Brenda Borte on June 5, and the blow dart was removed from the chest of the duckling through surgery conducted by Dr. Jennifer Tavares at Greywolf Veterinary Hospital on June 8. After a week of rehabilitation care at the Northwest Raptor & Wildlife Center conducted by director Jaye Moore, the duckling was released back to the care of its mother in Lincoln Park on the evening of June 13.

"This is an extremely happy ending," said Matthew Randazzo, the Center's Public Relations Director. "The duckling immediately identified its family and, within two minutes, was swimming with its mother and playing with its larger sibling."

The person who shot the duckling is still at large, and updates into this case will be ongoing at www.facebook.com/northwestraptorcenter. The Center is still looking for tips regarding the identity of the shooter, which can be e-mailed to: Matthew@NWRaptorCenter.com.