A 17-year-old Duck Who Found a Home at R.I. Animal Sanctuary Has Died

October 4, 2024

Christopher Gavin

Boston Globe

The duck, known as Erna, fostered "hundreds" of ducklings at West Place Animal Sanctuary in Tiverton, the nonprofit said.

Erna, a 17-year-old Crested Pekin duck who resided at West Place Animal Sanctuary in Tiverton, R.I., has died, the sanctuary said on Oct. 3, 2024. West Place Animal Sanctuary

PROVIDENCE – A Crested Pekin duck who long called a Rhode Island animal sanctuary home as she fostered "hundreds" of ducklings and lived to be 17-and-a-half years old, has died, the sanctuary said.

Erna was the longest-tenured rescue animal at West Place Animal Sanctuary in Tiverton, having been a resident there since the nonprofit opened its doors in 2007, the organization said in a statement released Thursday.

In her lifetime, Erna became "the matriarch of West Place and an inspiration to all who knew her," the sanctuary said.

Typically, domestic Crested Pekin ducks live an average of eight to 12 years, according to sanctuary officials.

When Erna turned 17 last spring, West Place threw her a birthday bash, and even whipped up a mock driver's license for her to celebrate the milestone.

In a video posted on Facebook, the sanctuary said the organization "pretty much" started the day Erna and her brother, Burton, arrived there.

"Erna was one of the most beloved rescue animals at the sanctuary," the statement said. "She was a legendary 'foster mom' to baby birds and raised hundreds of ducklings, goslings, chicks, poults, and cygnets during her lifetime."

Erna gave birth to her biological daughter, Sesame, when she was 15, according to West Place, which is home to more than 300 rescue animals.

"Her longevity was a result of West Place's lifelong commitment, and she exemplified what farm animals are capable of when given proper care, nutrition, and love," the sanctuary said.

Still, Erna's death marked the "end of an era" for West Place, the statement said.

The sanctuary plans to memorialize her with a new garden, and also noted "tributes, artwork, and condolences have begun pouring in from her adoring fans."

"There has never been a day at West Place without Erna," Wendy Taylor, the sanctuary's founder and executive director, said in a statement. "She was a constant presence, a source of joy, and a daily reminder of the impact our nonprofit has on animals who are often overlooked and underrepresented."