Hi, I’m Cat, and I’m a researcher with Ducks Unlimited Canada. I study wetlands and the animals that live in them—especially mallards! These familiar ducks are dabbling waterfowl, which means they feed in shallow wetlands by tipping their heads underwater while their tails stick up in the air. It’s pretty fun to watch!
Mallards rely on wetlands to raise their ducklings and find food. But in places like the Prairie Pothole Region, wetlands are under threat. That’s bad news—not just for ducks, but for all kinds of species. Wetlands clean water, prevent floods, store carbon, and support biodiversity. Losing them means losing some of nature’s best defenses.
The Prairie Pothole Region spreads across Canada and the United States, through the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, and then into North and South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, and Iowa. It’s also where much of our farming happens. So, we’re working together with farmers to figure out how to protect wetlands and ducks at the same time.
Our project is called Wetlands in Working Landscapes. My team and I are using cool high-tech tools like infrared drones and environmental DNA testing to collect information quickly and without disturbing animals. These tools let us find out things like what kinds of insects are in the water (a super important food source for ducklings!) and how clean the wetlands are, and this information then helps us determine how healthy the ecosystem is.
We’ll use this data to recommend smart solutions that help both farmers and wildlife—like which wetlands to protect, and how to manage land so that everyone benefits.
By adopting a mallard, you’re joining our team of wetland heroes. You’re helping support our research, protect wetland habitats, and make sure that mallards have a safe place to splash, swim, and raise their ducklings. Thank you for helping us keep our wetlands—and our ducks—safe!
Check out the Adoptions section in the Earth Rangers App or visit the Earth Rangers Shop to get your Mallard Adoption Kit. Make a difference today!at. That’s bad news—not just for ducks, but for all kinds of species. Wetlands clean water, prevent floods, store carbon, and support biodiversity. Losing them means losing some of nature’s best defenses.
The Prairie Pothole Region is also where much of our farming happens. So, we’re working together with farmers to figure out how to protect wetlands and ducks at the same time.
Our project is called Wetlands in Working Landscapes. My team and I are using cool high-tech tools like infrared drones and environmental DNA testing to collect information quickly and without disturbing animals. These tools let us find out things like what kinds of insects are in the water (a super important food source for ducklings!) and how clean the wetlands are, and this information then helps us determine how healthy the ecosystem is.
We’ll use this data to recommend smart solutions that help both Saskatchewan’s farmers and wildlife—like which wetlands to protect, and how to manage land so that everyone benefits.
By adopting a mallard, you’re joining our team of wetland heroes. You’re helping support our research, protect wetland habitats, and make sure that mallards have a safe place to splash, swim, and raise their ducklings. Thank you for helping us keep our wetlands—and our ducks—safe!
Check out the Adoptions section in the Earth Rangers App or visit the Earth Rangers Shop to get your Mallard Adoption Kit. Make a difference today!