Mallard shot in neck with arrow to be released from Orange County care center

After an almost month-long stay, the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center has given a mallard that was shot in the neck with an arrow a second chance at life. 

According to the center, the mallard was shot on March 26 and police believe that the arrow was shot from a crossbow. The duck survived the initial attack and was later led to safety by a 10-year-old girl from Silverado Canyon, who was at school at the time. 

"She gave up her McDonald's pancake breakfast to try to lure it in, which was great. Don't feed wildlife, but in this incident she kept it there so it could be caught and brought into care," Executive Director Debbie McGuire said in March. "She's a little hero!"

She was able to comfort the mallard until animal care authorities arrived and took the animal to receive care at the center.  Miraculously, the dart did not penetrate the trachea nor did it fracture any bones. The duck underwent two surgeries to repair the damage and remove the arrow. 

"He's very lucky that the dart is out and his pain levels seemed to decrease significantly once the dart was out," veterinarian Dr. Elizabeth Wood said in March. "His breathing went back to normal and he actually went back to self-feeding quite quickly."

The Newport Beach Police Department is handling the investigation and has not located a suspect yet.

Last year, several ducks and geese were found wounded at the same Costa Mesa park.