OCALA, Fla. - A Muscovy duck that gained internet fame for terrorizing a Cape Coral neighborhood has found a new home in Central Florida.
What we know:
A Muscovy duck that was reportedly harassing residents in a Cape Coral neighborhood has been safely captured and relocated to an animal sanctuary in Ocala.
The duck, now named "Jimmy," was taken in by Mark Quadrozzi of Remarkable Rescues after gaining viral attention on social media for its aggressive behavior.
Quadrozzi estimates Jimmy is three to four months old and was likely hand-raised.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear who originally raised or released the duck in the Cape Coral neighborhood. Officials have not confirmed whether other aggressive ducks remain in the area or if any future wildlife removal plans are in place.
The backstory:
Residents in the neighborhood had been dealing with the duck's hostile behavior for some time, with reports of people being pecked and chased. Male Muscovy ducks are known to be more aggressive than females, which may explain the confrontations. Once the story aired and video footage spread online, it attracted the attention of animal rescuers.
Big picture view:
Though native to Central and South America, Muscovy ducks are commonly found in Florida, where their presence sometimes leads to friction with the locals.
After a local news story aired and footage of the feisty duck spread on social media, an animal sanctuary in Ocala stepped in to relocate the bird. Mark Quadrozzi with Remarkable Rescues drove to Cape Coral and successfully captured the duck, which has since been named "Jimmy."
"You're just kind of at the mercy of what they're going to do that day," Quadrozzi said of the unpredictable behavior of Muscovy ducks. "Even if somebody knows a particular animal's schedule from their observations, each day."
It took more than an hour of searching before the young male duck, estimated to be about three to four months old, was safely taken into custody. Quadrozzi believes Jimmy was likely raised by humans.
"When you have a duck that actually wants to make physical contact with a person like that, but in a way with its beak, that's more of a social thing, it's kind of a given that it was hand raised by someone," he said.
Residents in the neighborhood have reported injuries and aggressive behavior, particularly from male Muscovy ducks, which Quadrozzi says are generally less gentle than females.
Cape Coral resident James Sepulveda expressed relief over the removal.
"Finally we got him!" he said. "But I'm happy they are getting rid of ducks in this area, because they are vicious."
What's next:
The duck will take up residence among other Muscovy ducks at the Ocala sanctuary.