Clock Ticks to Weigh in on Federal Fight over Muscovy Ducks

Nov. 23, 2010 - PRLog -- Hempstead, TX – While many Americans prepare to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, many conversations will be centered around turkey.  But a Texas farm owner has another prized bird on her mind:  Muscovy duck.  The nation’s Muscovy duck populations have landed in the government’s cross-hairs, and animal rescuer Tobi Kosanke is fighting the Feds to protect them.  Kosanke is calling on the nation’s duck lovers to help her challenge a recent federal regulation designed to outlaw pet ownership and control all of the popular ducks that can be found on just about every park pond and golf course across the U.S.  The deadline for public comment on the ruling ends December 30th, and for Kosanke, time is running out.

“As it is now written, this regulation (CFR 21.54) makes it illegal for individuals and subdivisions to maintain their pet duck populations.  It also makes it illegal for counties and cities to place Muscovy ducks on their ponds,” Crazy K Farm owner Tobi Kosanke said.  “The only way this ruling is going to change is if Americans make their voices heard.  The clock is ticking.  December 30th is only a few weeks away.”   

Aside from their popularity at America’s parks and ponds, Muscovies are also kept as pets and show poultry, and raised by many people as a food source.  Kosanke proudly owns about 50 Muscovy ducks on her working farm located just outside of Houston.

“Our lives here at Crazy K Farm have been greatly improved by the presence of our sweet natured, highly entertaining Muscovy ducks,” Kosanke said.  “Our lives are ruled by ducks and we like it that way.  Unfortunately with this ruling, that is likely to change.”

The flap over Muscovies, which are large ducks native to Mexico, South America, and Central America, started on March 1st.  That’s when the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) published a final rule, CFR 21.54, adding the Muscovy – which is a non-migrating bird – to its list of Migratory Birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA).  The FWS decided to take control over Muscovies after several individuals and States, primarily Florida and Texas, started expressing concern that the ducks have become a nuisance.  Reports of local aggressiveness and property damage led the FWS to establish a nationwide order to manage feral populations.  The order allows anyone to destroy the ducks, their nests and their eggs anywhere outside of their natural habitat in rural, southern Texas in any manner except shooting.  Additionally, anyone in the U.S. who keeps Muscovy ducks for any reason other than as show animals or to produce meat and eggs would no longer be allowed to do so.  All Muscovies in the United States would also have to be marked on either the wing or leg.

“Like the Mallard, Muscovy ducks are a nuisance mostly in small communities in Florida and Texas,” Kosanke said.  “Instituting a country-wide control order and requiring that all Muscovy ducks in the United States be marked is not an appropriate response; Mallards, which are more problematic than Muscovies in many areas, are being subjected to neither.”

The Fed’s enforcement of the ruling was set to begin on April 1st, but was officially put on hold as a result of public protest and backlash.  In an unprecedented move, the FWS decided to reopen its rule-making and allow further public comment.  Kosanke’s primary goal is to make sure the ruling is revised in such a way that Americans can legally own and enjoy Muscovy ducks.  “I agree with the FWS that selling of Muscovy ducklings at flea markets and giving them away as prizes at carnivals should be outlawed as these unwanted ducks are often released into the wild – but prohibiting responsible owners to have pet Muscovy ducks is excessive.”

“As the comment period winds down, I once again request that people take a moment to make a difference by going to http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#document... and clicking on the Submit Comment link next to the pencil on paper icon in the upper right portion of the page to leave a comment,” Kosanke said.  “For those who are unsure what to say in their comment, they could tell the FWS to permit Muscovies to be kept as pets, and to NOT limit Muscovy duck ownership in the U.S. to only exhibition birds and birds raised for meat and eggs; that all Muscovies in the U.S. should NOT be required to be banded or marked, that Muscovies make excellent pets and are popularly kept as pets, that backyard Muscovies provide excellent pesticide-free insect control and/or that Muscovies should continue to be able to be placed in backyard flocks/on small farms instead of being exterminated.”

For more information about the ruling or how to comment, please visit the Crazy K Farm website http://www.crazykfarm.com/MuscovyDucks.html.  Media inquiries can be directed to (800) 980-4165.

About Crazy K Farm®
Crazy K Farm® (http://www.crazykfarm.com) is located in Hempstead, TX approximately 45 miles northwest of Houston.  Chickens, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, goats and sheep are raised on the 35-acre working farm.  The majority of the animals are rescues.  Crazy K Farm® manufactures quality pet and poultry products including the patented Hen Saver® hen apron and Avian Haven® hut for caged birds, and the patent-pending Kitty Holster® cat harness.  The company has quickly grown from its humble origins as a manufacturer of pre-paid, made-to-order items sold solely via a personal eBay account, to products being manufactured by the tens of thousands and sold in stores across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.  Crazy K Farm, which is a three-time StartupNation business competition winning company, is also a member of the Houston Better Business Bureau.

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