Long Boi: Missing University of York duck presumed dead

Long Boi came to fame in 2021 featuring on US television and Radio 1

A duck which became a star of social media due to its height is believed to have died, the University of York said.

The bird, known as Long Boi, came to fame after he featured on James Corden's US talk show and Greg James's show on BBC Radio 1.

The mallard/Indian runner cross, who was 2ft 4in (70cm) tall, had not been seen on campus for almost two months.

A university spokesperson said, given the lack of sightings, "we are forced to conclude that he has passed away".

In a statement the university said: "We appreciate this is not the resolution that many people were wishing for, but hope that acknowledging his passing allows us to focus on celebrating his life and commemorating the time he spent with us."

On Radio 1 Breakfast, Greg James led tributes to the celebrity duck and dedicated Wiz Khalifa's song See You Again to Long Boi.

"He lived a long life, Long Boi. And what a fantastic boy he was," he said, before announcing plans for a ceremonial "quack-a-long" on Friday morning.

"It's not a minute's silence, because that's not what Long Boi would have wanted," he said.

Meanwhile, a floral tribute and photo of the duck have been left on a bench at the university campus where he had become an "icon" to some students.

Floral tributes have been left to the drake, which has been presumed dead

The university had encouraged people to "do something for the local environment, such as feeding the ducks at your local pond or making a charitable donation in Long Boi's memory".

"We remain grateful for the incredible community of fans who have given their time, energy and skills to celebrating Long Boi and the abundance of wildlife found here on campus," a statement said.

"During his time on campus, Long Boi brought joy to staff, students, alumni and visitors to York. Our beautiful campus and wonderful grounds team provided a rich life for him during the four years he lived with us. "

It said The University of York Students' Union (YUSU) was working on plans to organise a fitting tribute to Long Boi.