A rare and breathtakingly beautiful Mandarin duck that randomly popped up in Central Park last week is now mysteriously missing, and people on the internet are demanding answers.
The lone male duck, which is not a common species in the U.S., was bizarrely spotted several times in the middle of Manhattan in recent weeks.
Mandarin ducks are native to East Asia, and are known for their multicolored feathers and pink bill.
Now, the eye-catching bird is nowhere in sight.
Twitter erupted this week, with users saying things like: ‘This duck was literally the only good thing about 2018 and now it’s missing?!’
Another wrote: ‘I swear, if someone stole that Mandarin duck (it’s gone missing) from Central Park, I will hunt them down and throw them in the contaminated Hudson River.’
Someone else chimed in: ‘The Mandarin duck going missing is the worst thing to happen to me since my last momentary lapse of sanity… I wish everything bad on anyone who took him or tried to hurt him.’
While many are making threats against the potential perpetrator, the Parks Department said the duck likely migrated.
New Yorkers and tourists were flocking to the pond daily to catch a glimpse of this Mandarin duck that went missing from Central Park this week
Twitter erupted this week, with users saying things like: ‘This duck was literally the only good thing about 2018 and now it’s missing?!’
The statement said: ‘While we are not tracking the Mandarin duck, we’ve noted that he’s appeared healthy and has regularly moved between water bodies in Central Park.
‘We don’t know his exact location at this time… almost all ducks migrate seasonally.
‘While we’re happy to have had him visit our parks, it’s important to remember that at some point he may leave New York for warmer temperatures.’
The duck was first spotted on October 10, according to a Twitter account that tracks bird sightings in Central Park.
It disappeared for several weeks before reemerging last week in a pond in the park’s southeast corner near 59th and Fifth Avenue.
New Yorkers and tourists have since been flocking to the pond daily to catch a glimpse of the now-famous duck.
It is not clear how the lone duck arrived in New York but some have noted that he appears to be able to fly, which is something most domestic ducks can’t do.
This lone male Mandarin duck, which is not a common species in the U.S., has been bizarrely spotted several times in the middle of New York’s Central Park in recent weeks
The duck was first spotted on October 10 but disappeared for several weeks. It reemerged last week when it started swimming in a pond in the park’s south-east corner
Photos of the rare duck appear to show it wearing a rubber band around its right leg (pictured above), meaning it could be a domestic pet
City officials have said the Mandarin duck did not come any nearby zoos
It means the bird could have potentially flown in from a nearby city with some bird-watchers saying it was likely the duck had been making trips to and from the Hudson River.
City officials have said the Mandarin duck did not come from any nearby zoos.
Photos of the rare duck appear to show it wearing a rubber band around its right leg, meaning it could be a domestic pet.
It is illegal for someone to privately own a duck as a pet in New York City.
Park officials do not plan on removing the duck unless it appears to fall ill or gets in danger.
Mandarin ducks, which are native to East Asia, are known for their multicolored feathers and pink bill
It is not clear how the lone duck arrived in New York but some have noted that he appears to be able to fly, which is something most domestic ducks can’t do