The ducklings chose a very busy section of Auckland's Northwestern Motorway for their Monday morning stroll. Photo / Supplied
The ducklings chose a very busy section of Auckland's Northwestern Motorway for their Monday morning stroll. Photo / Supplied
Aucklanders are used to traffic problems but this morning it was a group of cute little ducklings that saw drivers being stopped by police.
An Auckland motorist captured a photo of the ducklings being protected by a police car as they tried to cross State Highway 16, Auckland's Northwestern Motorway, around 9am this morning.
WeatherWatch.co.nz reported that a Twitter follower, named Muirie, said she couldn't resist getting a photo of the ducklings being protected by the police car just after 9am today.
"The police car herded them across three lanes of traffic," Muirie told WeatherWatch.co.nz.
"[It] took a good few minutes because they kept darting back or stopping. [I] didn't see a mother duck. Everyone was just stopped watching - it was a lovely moment!"
The images show a police car parked across a motorway lane as the ducklings cross the road.
NZ Police said one of their officers came to the rescue, slowing driving behind the group to escort them off the road and making sure they weren't harmed or could potentially cause an accident.
An Auckland police officer directed traffic while the ducklings made their way to safety. Photo / Supplied
Constable Jessica Parkin soon found herself jumping out of her car to run after the ducklings who scattered across the lanes and kept running in front of cars.
Some members of the public also stopped to help.
"I wanted to help the ducklings but they were going everywhere, so I had to keep an eye on the ducklings, on the road and on the public all at once," she said.
Constable Parkin then placed the mother duck in a safe grassy area, over the barrier, in the hope the ducklings would follow. Only one daring duckling did.
The rest she managed to round up and carefully place in her car before driving to the area where she put the mother duck.
But mother duck wasn't there when she returned the ducklings.
"I hope she wasn't too far away. We did what we could and I really hope they were reunited with their mum and this story has a happy ending," she said.
At the time the NZ Transport Agency took to Twitter to warn motorists to expect some delays.
"Expect some delays this morning citybound on #SH16 with a family of ducks being cleared from lanes currently. Please be patient," it wrote.
Ten minutes later it said, "All ducklings now secured & removed from lanes (near St Lukes Rd off-ramp). #AklTraffic is starting to move freely through the area again."
SH16 NORTHWESTERN MWY - DELAYS - 9:10AM Expect some delays this morning citybound on #SH16 with a family of ducks being cleared from lanes currently. Please be patient. ^TP
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) December 9, 2018
UPDATE 9:20AM All ducklings now secured & removed from lanes (near St Lukes Rd off-ramp). #AklTraffic is starting to move freely through the area again. ^TP https://t.co/sIIznbmbTP
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) December 9, 2018
