‘Trevor’ passes away at age 16

by Raf Sanchez | October 9th, 2007

The University of York’s most famous wildfowl, a golden-tinted Ruddy Shelduck, known variously as ‘Trevor’ and ‘Fit Duck’, has passed away aged 16.

Dr. Barry Thomas, a chemistry lecturer and expert on campus wildlife, confirmed that Trevor’s body was found near the Politics department in Derwent in mid-July. Dr. Thomas said: “It probably died of natural causes, it was at least 16 years old. It was in a poor way for a while but had nothing obviously wrong with it.”

He added: “A duck’s natural life span can be up to 20 years. It would never achieve that in the wild but can in captivity, in a place like the University where it is protected from predators.”

Trevor was introduced to campus six years ago with a mate, another Ruddy Shelduck who disappeared shortly after arriving.

Dr. Thomas said there were currently no plans to introduce more Ruddy Shelducks to campus as there “are no funds available for buying ducks.” He added: “If the Students’ Union would like to fundraise to buy more Ruddy Shelducks we would be grateful.”

Last term, Nouse reported that Trevor may have been depressed, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). A spokesperson for the society said: “It is possible that birds can suffer from something resembling the human emotion of depression.”

Trevor is survived by his current mate, a female Common Shelduck named Jazzy. The pair were partners for several years before Trevor’s death, but were never able to successfully mate due to biological incompatibility.

Trevor enjoyed near-celebrity status on campus during his life, with two rival Facebook groups set up in his honour.

The University of York campus is a major wildlife preserve with over 200 acres of landscaped parkland. As well as numerous duck varieties, the campus is also home to a number of swans and geese.

According to the website DuckDensity.org, the University of York has the highest density of ducks of any university in the UK, with a score 15.2 ducks/rood. The website, set up by former York students with an enthusiasm for ducks, calculates that there are .08 ducks per student at the University. Leeds University comes a distance second with just 6.5 ducks/rood.