LARGO, Fla. — Neighbors said they contacted police after discovering four dead ducks in their community in Largo.
Neighbors living in the Whispering Pines mobile home community said they discovered the dead Muscovy ducks on Sunday, October 5.
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Anthony Mares and his neighbors checked their security cameras. Video shows a driver in a minivan running over a group of ducks in the middle of the road. Neighbors discovered four birds dead.
"It immediately put a pit in my stomach. It's very disturbing, very sad. I am a huge animal lover, they're my biggest passion," said Anthony Mares.
Mares believes it was intentional.
"It goes over the speed bumps, but it's not even slowing down really. You can hear an engine rev like it's purposely accelerating to go and hit the ducks. They just plow through and keep driving, don't even stop," said Mares.
"If I accidentally ran over an animal, I would stop, get out, do whatever I could," he added.
Neighbors said they filed a report with the Largo Police Department. Residents hope to track down additional video that may show the license plate on the vehicle.
Mares said Muscovy ducks can be found all over the neighborhood and sometimes they're in the middle of the road.
"Some people hate them and find them a nuisance and other people love them and try to protect them," he said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Muscovy ducks are a nonnative species, but are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The birds are native to Central America and South America.
According to FWC, the birds can be removed using humane methods of live-capture by using nets or cage traps. All traps must be checked at least once every 24 hours.
Muscovy ducks can be killed by use of a firearm on private property during daylight hours with landowner permission, according to FWC. Non-toxic shot or bullets must be used. FWC said people must check with local sheriff's office or police department for firearm ordinances before discharging a firearm.
"If you're going to kill them, it has to be on private property and it has to be in a humane way where they're going to die immediately so that's the only legal way, running them over on purpose like that and completely accelerating your car like that to be able to hit all four in a row, that’s more than inhumane," said Mares.
For more information on the laws surrounding Muscovy ducks can be found here
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