Cinco Ranch duck removal: Residents in Fort Bend Co. neighborhood upset about dead ducks, question methods to control population

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — Residents in Cinco Ranch reached out to ABC13, upset by what’s being done to control the area’s duck population.

Officials with the Municipal Utility District, which is in charge of the neighborhood’s infrastructure, confirm they are using pellet guns to kill the ducks.

“We are setting an example for the younger generation to choose violent means to take care of the situation,” a resident named S.K. said. “I know it’s difficult to take care of the wildlife, but there are other humane ways to deal with it.”

The animals in question are Muscovy ducks, which you’ve probably seen before. They’re usually larger than other ducks and have distinctive orange or red bumps on their faces.

In most of Texas, Muscovy ducks are classified as invasive.

That means, federal and state laws allow homeowners, HOAs, and other districts to remove and destroy the ducks.

Federal law prohibits relocating Muscovy ducks to other locations.

MUD officials confirm crews in Cinco Ranch are using pellet guns, nets, and poles to kill the ducks, saying they damage wildlife and vegetation.

In a statement, MUD officials said, “The contractor takes all precautions to ensure there are no people present in the areas where duck removal is occurring. Additionally, the type of pellet used has limited penetrative ability.”

Still, some residents say what’s happening, near a walking trail and playground, isn’t the answer.

“They are from Mexico, but I guess they are not reading the border signs,” David Atencio, a resident and the former head of the City of Houston’s Animal Shelter and Adoption Facility, said. “You gotta listen to both sides, it’s a talking out. There are other ways.”

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