I was walking through the woods when a strange yellow cluster caught my attention.

At first, I thought it was just some mushrooms, but what I discovered next deeply shocked me.

I usually go hiking in the forest several times a week. That day, nothing suggested that this outing would be any different.

But as I walked along a familiar trail, I noticed an unusual mass on the ground, not far from my feet.

From a distance, it looked like a pile of tennis balls scattered on the carpet of dead leaves. Their bright yellow color stood out starkly against the green of the ferns and the brown of the trees. Curious, I moved closer.

To my great surprise, these objects were neither toys nor trash. They were moving slowly and making tiny noises. That’s when I realized with horror: they were chicks—dozens of them, probably just hatched.

Some were still wet, clinging to one another, while others were clumsily trying to stand up. Their faint chirps echoed in the silence of the forest. The truth was unbearable: someone had left them there on purpose, condemning them to certain death.

I immediately called the police, then contacted an animal rescue center. The officers arrived shortly after, visibly just as shaken by the scene as I was.

Thanks to the quick response, many of those little lives were able to be rescued and cared for. But I still struggle to understand how anyone could commit such a cruel act. As for the person responsible, I don’t know if they were ever found or punished.