HOUSTON (March 8, 2024) — In Defense of Animals is outraged by the second disappearance of dozens of Muscovy ducks from the Copper Grove neighborhood outside of Houston. 

After driving through the entire neighborhood on March 5, resident and duck advocate Deborah Adani noticed at least 35 missing ducks from a total estimated population of 50. Their disappearance follows a suspected roundup and killing of over 100 ducks in 2021, which resulted in more than 9,000 In Defense of Animals supporters contacting local decision-makers, urging them to use humane, non-lethal management techniques to address any conflicts.

“I’m furious. We moved here to enjoy nature. Now there’s been two mass killings. I can’t enjoy Copper Grove anymore,” said Adani. “Municipal Utility District 188 needs to repair the pond, not kill the ducks. Our MUD taxes are enormous. I don’t want to pay MUD to kill wildlife.” 

Residents and visitors enjoyed feeding these Muscovy ducks, who lived at the county park and pond in the heart of Copper Grove, which is maintained by Municipal Utility District (MUD) 188. Following complaints about duck dung on the sidewalk, the MUD erected signs banning duck-feeding at the pond. After that happened, residents started feeding the ducks in their yards, where ducklings were safe from pond predators like great blue herons, snapping turtles, owls, and hawks. As a result, the Muscovy duck population proliferated. 

On January 27, 2021, Copper Grove’s Homeowners Association (HOA) met to discuss the Copper Grove's Muscovy ducks. Duck advocates like Deborah Adani and In Defense of Animals campaigner Lisa Levinson were muted by the meeting organizers and prevented from describing effective non-lethal duck management methods. 

The Copper Grove Muscovy ducks before and after the disappearance in 2021. Photos: Deborah Adani

On March 2, 2021, and again on March 5, 2024, Copper Grove awoke to a duck-less pond. Residents suspect MUD 188 and Copper Grove’s HOA may have something to do with the disappearance of the ducks. In Defense of Animals launched an investigation with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to several agencies including Texas State Wildlife Services and MUD 188, but neither produced any records responsive to their request. 

The second incident was repeated three years after the first disappearance occurred. The population had stabilized at 50 ducks who mostly stayed at the pond, rather than living amongst neighbors. There was no public record of complaints about the ducks in 2024.

“We are disgusted that decision-makers conspired to kill a second round of innocent Muscovy ducks,” said Lisa Levinson of In Defense of Animals. “These friendly hand-fed ducks were likely lured into traps, separated from their families, and ruthlessly murdered by people they thought they could trust when effective non-lethal methods to reduce Muscovy populations were readily available.”

Whether the Copper Grove HOA or MUD 188 initiated the killing, residents are likely paying to kill these beloved ducks. The HOA and MUD may have contracted with Texas State Wildlife Services to kill the Muscovy ducks using walk-in baited traps and shooting. 

In Defense of Animals receives similar reports against USDA’s Wildlife Services in many communities. Complaints against wild animals prompt local HOAs to contract with Wildlife Services. Despite its stated mission “to resolve wildlife conflicts to allow people and wildlife to coexist,” many times, the agency skips over implementing humane management practices and instead removes animals by lethal means. Millions of taxpayer dollars are spent killing wild animals in our communities every year.

However, lethal actions won't solve the conflict, which stems from human behavior. Only changes in our behavior and nonlethal population management strategies like egg removal and OvoControl for ducks, which are widely used to humanely manage Muscovy ducks in Florida, address the root of the issue. 

Copper Grove HOA fines residents for feeding the ducks: $250 for first-time offenses and up to $1,000 for repeat offenders. 

### NOTES ###

FOIA Responses:

Regional Division of Migratory Birds and Texas Coastal Ecological Services Field Office:

Your request was assigned tracking number DOI-FWS-2021-004634 and forwarded to the Regional Division of Migratory Birds and Texas Coastal Ecological Services Field Office for processing. After a thorough search of our files, it has been determined that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has no records responsive to your request. Of note, per 50 CFR § 21.54 - Control order for muscovy ducks in the United States, take permits are only required in Hidalgo, Starr, and Zapata Counties in Texas.

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality:

TCEQ has received your request for information under the Texas Public Information Act and assigned it PIR Number: 21-61886.

Texas State Wildlife Services: 

No response

MUD 188: 

Harris County MUD No. 188 (the “District”) is in receipt of your request (the “Request”) under the Texas Public Information Act (the “TPIA”), received via electronic mail on July 12, 2021. The District has no documents responsive to your Request.

Thank you,

Records Department

ALLEN BOONE HUMPHRIES ROBINSON LLP

3200 Southwest Freeway, Suite 2600

Houston TX 77027

713-860-6400 main

713-860-6401 fax

Effective non-lethal management techniques for Muscovy ducks:

• Discouraging residents and visitors from feeding the ducks
• Allowing local predators to deter goose populations naturally (great blue herons, snapping turtles, owls, and hawks)
• Starting a volunteer egg removal program, recommended by the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (find details at http://arff.org/muscovy) 
• Feeding OvoControl pellets containing the contraceptive nicarbazin to the ducks, which is USDA-approved for Muscovy ducks with a migratory bird permit
• Electing a wild animal expert to the HOA board who can help resolve human-animal conflicts via nonlethal methods that value ecosystems  

Concerned citizens can still add their voices to In Defense of Animals’ letter below to save the Copper Grove Muscovy ducks: https://www.idausa.org/campaign/wild-animals-and-habitats/latest-news/stop-copper-groves-muscovy-duck-massacre/

To: Josh Board - Area Manager and CJ - Community Manager

RE: Please Use Non-lethal Options Instead of Killing Copper Grove’s Muscovy Ducks

As someone who cares about animals and one of In Defense of Animals 250,000 supporters, I urge you to consider effective nonlethal options rather than the ineffective killing of Copper Grove’s Muscovy ducks. 

According to an online survey, more than 80 Copper Grove residents want to save the ducks. Killing them will prove to be an expensive public relations nightmare,will waste HOA funds and won’t solve the problem, which stems from human behavior.  Contracting with the USDA’s bloodthirsty animal killing branch, Animal Services, to kill the Muscovy ducks using walk-in baited traps and shooting is heartless and inhumane. These hand-fed ducks will be lured into traps, separated from their families, and ruthlessly murdered by people they thought they could trust.

Florida communities found the best success by changing their behavior and adopting nonlethal Muscovy management strategies to reduce their population. This includes: 

• Discouraging residents and visitors from feeding the ducks
• Allowing local predators to deter goose populations naturally (great blue herons, snapping turtles, owls, and hawks)
• Starting a volunteer egg removal program, recommended by the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (find details at http://arff.org/muscovy) 
• Feeding OvoControl pellets containing the contraceptive nicarbazin to the ducks, which is USDA approved for Muscovy ducks with a migratory bird permit
• Electing a wild animal expert to the HOA board who can help resolve human-animal conflicts via non nonlethal methods that value ecosystems 

Please choose kindness and don’t kill the ducks, who are victims of human mismanagement. Thank you for your timely consideration of this urgent matter.

In Defense of Animals launched its National Goose Protection Coalition in 2019 to help concerned citizens stop roundups in their communities. Members of the public can find resources to help their communities implement effective, non-lethal, and humane goose management strategies at: www.stopgooseabuse.org

IMAGES: 

2024: https://bit.ly/CopperGroveDucks24

2021: https://bit.ly/CopperGroveDuckKillers

CONTACTS:

Lisa Levinson, lisa@idausa.org, 215-620-2130
Deborah Adani, dadani51@gmail.com, 313-330-7194

In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization with over 250,000 supporters and a 40-year history of protecting animals’ rights, welfare, and habitats through education, campaigns, and hands-on rescue facilities in India, South Korea, rural Mississippi, and central California. www.idausa.org/wildanimals

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