Pompano Beach, FL – An investigation is underway after numerous ducks were discovered dead at a local pond Friday morning.
Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies responded around 8 a.m. October 2 to the 400 block of Cypress Road following a report of dead birds in and around the water.
Deputies confirmed that more than a dozen ducks had died. Investigators reported no visible signs of trauma, according to NBC 6.
Detectives from the agency’s Special Victims Unit are handling the case. Necropsies are planned to help establish what caused the deaths, which remained unexplained in the initial report.
The examinations will provide investigators with information beyond the birds’ outward appearance. A lack of visible injuries does not establish a cause of death, and the report did not identify a confirmed explanation for the discovery.
CBS Miami also reported that deputies removed dead birds and carried away ducks that appeared sick.
A necropsy is an examination of an animal’s remains used to investigate its death. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, wildlife pathologists assess carcasses and collect tissue samples for microscopic examination and diagnostic laboratory testing.
Pathologists interpret those findings together with laboratory results to determine the cause of death. The agency’s wildlife diagnostic services include expertise in infectious diseases and exposure to toxins.
NBC 6’s account identified no suspect, arrest or criminal charges connected to the pond. It also did not establish that the ducks were deliberately harmed.
The sheriff’s investigation is focused on determining how the birds died. Findings from the planned examinations had not been reported in the supplied article.