Florida agency probes video of Maryland man tackling bird

Hunter Hardesty, of Davidsonville, posted the video of the apparent attack online on Thursday. (Courtesy Facebook)
Hunter Hardesty, of Davidsonville, Maryland, posted the video of the apparent attack online on Thursday. (Screenshot via Facebook)
Commission officer and spokesman Bobby Dube says Hardesty enticed the pelican and then jumped on it. (Screenshot via Facebook)
Commission officer and spokesman Bobby Dube says Hardesty enticed the pelican and then jumped on it. (Screenshot via Facebook)
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is working to determine what charges might be appropriate to bring against Hardesty. (Screenshot via Facebook)
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is working to determine what charges might be appropriate to bring against Hardesty. (Screenshot via Facebook)
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Hunter Hardesty, of Davidsonville, posted the video of the apparent attack online on Thursday. (Courtesy Facebook)
Commission officer and spokesman Bobby Dube says Hardesty enticed the pelican and then jumped on it. (Screenshot via Facebook)
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is working to determine what charges might be appropriate to bring against Hardesty. (Screenshot via Facebook)
DC Maryland Virginia map graphic

DAVIDSONVILLE, Md. (AP) — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is working to determine what charges might be appropriate to bring against a Maryland man who was videotaped tackling a federally protected pelican.

The Baltimore Sun reports Hunter Hardesty, of Davidsonville, posted the video of the apparent attack online on Thursday. Commission officer and spokesman Bobby Dube says Hardesty enticed the pelican and then jumped on it. He says authorities are considering possible animal cruelty charges.

The video shows Hardesty leaning over the water near the edge of a harbor that’s geotagged to the Florida Keys. It shows him then jumping off the harbor and landing on top of the pelican, launching a scuffle punctuated by the laughter of onlookers.

The bird then slapped Hardesty across the face with its beak and fled.

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Information from: The Baltimore Sun, http://www.baltimoresun.com

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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