4 weeks ago
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A Florida community can breathe easy now that a local rogue known for stalking and attacking residents has been apprehended.
Jimmy, a Muscovy duck, was captured this week in the Cape Coral neighborhood he had held hostage by his acts of terror.
Prior to being caught, Jimmy had attacked multiple people, local news station Fox 4 Now reported earlier this month. Neighborhood resident James Sepulveda described sitting on his porch, “eyes closed,” when he suddenly “felt a jab” on his hand and realized Jimmy had bitten him and drawn blood.
In video footage from the news outlet, Sepulveda can be seen opening his door a crack to see Jimmy standing just outside. The man then says the duck is “waiting” for him.
Jimmy even chased Fox 4 reporter Bella Line while she attempted to report on his misdeeds.
Simon Ni / 500px via Getty Images
Muscovy ducks are native to Central and South America, Mexico and some parts of Texas. While the ducks are seen in the wild throughout Florida, they are a non-native species in the state. It’s legal in Florida to capture “nuisance” Muscovy ducks, but illegal to release them back to the wild because they can “can transmit diseases to or interbreed with Florida’s native waterfowl,” according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
After Jimmy’s story went viral, animal rescuer Mark Quadrozzi of Remarkable Rescues stepped up with a solution that would work for humans and duck alike. This week, Quadrozzi managed to catch Jimmy and relocate him to his animal sanctuary more than 200 miles away in Ocala, where the bird can join a flock of other Muscovy ducks.
Sepulveda was thrilled with the news.
“Finally we got him!” he said, per Fox 35 Orlando. The news outlet noted that it wasn’t clear whether Jimmy was the only unruly duck in the area, or if others could remain.
Quadrozzi believes that Jimmy, who is about 3 to 4 months old, was probably raised by people and abandoned. He also said the duck’s age and sex explain a lot about his behavior.
“This is a young male,” Quadrozzi told Fox 4. “Yes, and that’s why he’s being such a punk.”
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