Are you ready for some tocuhy0feely sweetness right about now? People online were drowned with awws when a video of a goose farmer gently caring for his hatchlings went viral. A gaggle of very young goslings was terrified to be in the water for the first time, so this farmer got in and let the birds anchor off on his back as a safety paddle.
So beautiful.
Despite being naturally aquatic animals, paddling in the water can still be quite a scary experience for young geese, ducks, and other bird species. Just like little children have learned to swim for the first time with the help of floaters and human assistance, these birds also need external support before they can hold their own in the water.
Naturally, geese don’t have floaters. In their youth, they simply need to venture out into the unknown and practice as they go. Fortunately for these young goslings, they had a human helper.
On May 20, a Chinese goose farmer named Aini helped his young geese and goslings to navigate the pond for the first time by carrying them on his back. The 28-year-old took a dip in the lake, inspiring the birds to follow him in.
Aini shared the video on his TikTok account and it went viral almost immediately, garnering over 5 million views. He later explained to local media that it was the first time the goslings and ducklings had been swimming. “They were scared, so they naturally wanted to climb onto my back,” he said.
In the video, the mother goose can be seen swimming nearby, watching intently as the small birds start swimming off of Aini’s back. As he paddles around the shallows of the water, some still held onto his back for safety.
