LOS ANGELES — A third duck whose beak was removed was found at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley, and animal advocates said they're concerned the animals are being targeted and harmed by someone.
"Our suspicion is with so many injured in the same way, that it seems intentional," said Debbie McGuire, executive director at the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach.
Two other ducks had been previously found and cared for by the center since July. Both ducks were found starving, unable to eat because of their injuries and had to be euthanized.
The third duck, McGuire said, appears to have been found on June 14 at the same park but had gone unreported until this week.
"This third duck is most likely the first victim of these atrocities," McGuire said.
The duck was found by a volunteer walking the park after work. She took the duck home because the center had been closed. The animal also appeared to be starving and died overnight.
Officials with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are investigating the incident, but officials said last week they had no leads. Investigators were also looking into the possibility that the injuries may have been caused in the wild, or that they could have occurred in another location because the first two birds looked like they had the ability to fly.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife did not immediately return a request for comment on Tuesday.
On Friday, a Fish and Wildlife official said the bills did not appear to have been removed with a "clean" straight cut, and they were therefore considering the possibility they were injured in the wild.
However, McGuire said the number of incidents and similarity in the injuries are raising concerns not only that the ducks were intentionally harmed, but that more may have been injured.
Officials are asking anyone with information to call CalTip at (888) 334-2258, or OC Animal Care at (714) 935-6848.
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