Maryland man shares a video of him grabbing a brown pelican and sinking it underwater, sparks outrage
Hunter Hardesty uploaded a video of himself gleefully committing the crime on Facebook, much to the chagrin of netizens.
A Maryland man has come under fire after he uploaded a video that showed him jumping on and attacking a protected pelican species in Key West, Florida. Hunter Hardesty, of Davidsonville, Maryland, was filmed abusing a brown pelican, which is a protected species under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as well as Florida State Law, and could face jail time over the incident.
The attack came to light after Hardesty uploaded the distressing video on to his Facebook page. In the footage, which was posted on March 7 and which was reportedly was taken at the Key West Seaport, opens with Hardesty leaning out over the harbor's edge and holding something in his hand to entice the pelican.