Maryland man who posted a video of himself abusing a pelican on Facebook is extradited to the Florida Keys and jailed on animal cruelty charges
- William Hunter Hardesty, 31, was booked into jail in Key West on Monday evening
- The Maryland native posted a video of himself abusing a federally-protected pelican at the Key West Historic Seaport on Facebook last month
- He was arrested March 15 in Ocean City, Maryland, and extradited to Florida
- Hardesty is facing animal cruelty charges and is being held on $80,000 bond
A Maryland man who was filmed tackling and abusing a pelican has been extradited to the Florida Keys and jailed on animal cruelty charges.
William Hunter Hardesty, 31, was booked into jail in Key West late Monday, according to a statement from Monroe County Sheriff's spokesman Adam Linhardt.
Hardesty is accused of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and is being held on $80,000 bond.
The suspect was arrested on March 15 in Ocean City, Maryland, after the disturbing video of him jumping on a federally-protected pelican next to the Key West Historic Seaport went viral on social media.
Scroll down for video
William Hunter Hardesty, 31, was jailed in Key West, Florida, on animal cruelty charges on Monday, two weeks after he was filmed tackling a pelican. The Maryland native is seen above in a new mugshot released by authorities after he was extradited to Florida
Hardesty shared a video of himself abusing the federally-protected pelican next to the Key West Historic Seaport on Facebook last month and it quickly went viral
Authorities said Hardesty had failed twice to grab hold of the bird and that the video was taken during his third and only successful attempt.
The footage showed him leaning over a harbor's edge holding out something in his hand.
As soon as the curious bird gets close enough, Hardesty launches himself into the water and lands directly on top of it as they both disappear below the surface.
When he comes back up for air, Hardesty can be seen holding onto the pelican with two hands while two people behind the camera erupt in a fit of laughter.
Share this article
The suspect spends the next 12 minutes antagonizing the visibly-distressed bird as it repeatedly snaps its beak at him before finally slipping out of his grasp.
The video was met with widespread outrage on social media as viewers slammed Hardesty's cruelty and claimed to have reported him to Florida authorities.
One person wrote: 'We need to get a petition to have this MF charged.'
Another commented: 'Idiot!! I do hope you serve time. I also hope that smack in the face left a mark ... a BIG one.'
The video opens with Hardesty holding something over the water to entice the pelican. When the bird floats close enough, Hardesty leaps into the water and lands directly on top of it
Hardesty antagonizes the pelican for about 12 minutes before it snaps its beak in his face and is finally able to escape its captor's grasp and fly away
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission later issued a statement confirming that it was investigating the incident.
'We never want to harm wildlife, and that's what he was doing,' said Officer Bobby Dube, a spokesman for the commission's Florida Keys division.
Pelicans are protected under Florida's Endangered and Threatened Species Rule, which states: 'The intentional feeding or the placement of food that attracts pelicans and modifies the natural behavior of the pelican so as to be detrimental to the survival or health of a local population is prohibited.'
Hardesty is seen in a mugshot taken after his March 15 arrest in Ocean City, Maryland
Fox Baltimore reported that Hardesty was previously arrested along with one other for assaulting and robbing a person outside a bar in 2016.
Police responded to the robbery incident at a bar called in Crofton, Maryland.
Police found two men hiding behind a dumpster and the victim identified them as his attackers.
Hardesty and Eugene George Morris III, 24 at the time, of Edgewater, were later arrested.
Hardesty was charged with robbery, second-degree assault, theft, destruction of property and resisting arrest.
Most watched News videos
- Russia: Nuclear weapons in Poland would become targets in wider war
- ANOTHER King's Guard horse attempts to escape after throwing trooper
- Moment escaped Household Cavalry horses rampage through London
- Wills' rockstar reception! Prince of Wales greeted with huge cheers
- 'Dine-and-dashers' confronted by staff after 'trying to do a runner'
- Shocking moment pandas attack zookeeper in front of onlookers
- Sweet moment Wills meets baby Harry during visit to skills centre
- Shocking moment British woman is punched by Thai security guard
- Don't mess with Grandad! Pensioner fights back against pickpockets
- Ashley Judd shames decision to overturn Weinstein rape conviction
- Prince Harry presents a Soldier of the Year award to US combat medic
- Prison Break fail! Moment prisoners escape prison and are arrested
