York icon Long Boi has been confirmed as missing after dwindling sightings amongst the student body and staff of the University of York.
Fear began spreading throughout the student body over the weekend after a lack of sightings of the duck dating back to before the beginning of the summer term.
In a statement to York Vision, a University of York spokesperson said: “Long Boi is a much-loved character on campus and whilst we haven’t seen him around over the past few weeks, we continue to keep a lookout for him and hope to see him again, safe and well, soon.”
Sources close to YUSU have also noted that the Union is currently working with York Estates and the University to locate the beloved York figure, however many students are fearing the worst.
There are many possible reasons for the duck’s disappearance and students are asked not to speculate until the estates can confirm Long Boi’s location. Ultimately, the only confirmation can come from the skilled groundskeepers, who have confirmed in a statement to Nouse newspaper that they are searching campus for the duck.
The long-necked Indian Mallard duck is a notable icon of the University of York, appearing on a range of University merch and a staple attraction of many University events including Roses and Freshers’ Week. The Long Boi Instagram page has over 56k followers, with the duck himself notably appearing on James Corden’s The Late Late Show in 2021, and BBC Radio 1 in March.