Cop escorts mother duck, ducklings to safety on key highway

A police officer escorted a mother duck and her ducklings to safety on Wednesday morning after they strayed onto a central Israel highway during the rush hour.

“I was surprised to see an unusual traffic jam and went to see what was happening. Maybe there was a collision or something else,” police officer Waleed Abu Hamdah told Channel 12 news.

“I arrived on the scene and saw the unusual sight of a group of around 10 ducklings and their mother,” he said, of his journey along Route 1, the major artery connecting Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. “So I decided to escort them until they left the highway safely.”

“I drove blocking the left lane to protect them, and anyone who wanted to go faster simply overtook me on the right-hand side,” he said.

Abu Hamdah said he escorted the wildlife on the highway for around 20 minutes until animal welfare safety professionals arrived on the scene.

“Thankfully after that, the highway was able to return to usual operations,” he said.

הבוקר כביש 1 היה פקוק בגלל אמא ברווזה עם הילדים שקיבלו ליווי ספיישל מהמשטרה . pic.twitter.com/8mof5xb0aj

— שלמה ⛈️ מזג אוויר (@MezgAvirIL) July 9, 2025

It’s not the first time police have been involved in animal-related incidents on that highway.

In 2023, then-Israel Police Chief Kobi Shabtai was roped into an unusual road chase as he lent a hand to round up a fugitive cow running down the highway.