Rare duck, typically found in the Arctic, rescued from roadside by young girl in Indiana

Officials say that a rare duck, typically found in the Arctic, was rescued by a young girl inn Greenfield, Indiana.

The 1-pound long-tailed duck, which the little girl named Rosealini, was found in the middle of the road in Greenfield, about 25 miles east from Indianapolis, said Hancock Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation, a non-profit wildlife rescue and rehabilitation group that took in the displaced bird on Friday.

The wildlife rescue group identified the animal as a female sea duck and said that they are "normally found in the Arctic/ northern coastal regions".

The shelter said that though Rosealini had some blood on her, they did not find any wounds. The duck was being looked after at the shelter as she rested before being returned home.

Jen Hancock, founder and director of the rescue foundation, told USA TODAY that she has "no idea" how Rosealini got there, "except there was a cat nearby swatting at her".

"There are a few small retention ponds in the area where she was found, but no real bodies of water," said Hancock. "She was literally in the middle of town."

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Rescuing and releasing Rosealini

On Saturday Dec. 23, the day after her rescue, the shelter shared a video of the duck taking a bath in a pie pan.

Hancock told USA TODAY that the duck was very weak and during her stay at the shelter, she was given "TLC, R&R, anti-inflammatory medication, and some good food."

"Once she regained her strength and finished her meds, she was more than ready to be wild again," said Hancock.

"We’re hoping that she’ll feel better by next week, and maybe she can hitch a ride with Santa back to the North Pole!," the shelter had earlier said on Facebook when they rescued her.

Later, on Tuesday Dec. 26, the wildlife rescue group released Rosealini back into the water, where she could be seen taking several dives and paddling on the water in the videos shared by the shelter on Facebook.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.