UPDATE: George the Flightless Duck to be Relocated from Doomed Mirage Lagoon

Posted on: July 18, 2024, 09:21h. 

Last updated on: July 18, 2024, 09:22h.

Corey Levitan Read More
Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Entertainment, Expert Insight, Las Vegas.

UPDATE: George the duck will be rehoused. According to a spokesperson for The Mirage, “Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary has graciously stepped up to accept [him].” Details about when his move will occur have yet to be finalized.

EARLIER: In our July 16 story on what will happen to everything Mirage once the casino resort reopens as the next Hard Rock Las Vegas in three years, we neglected to mention the fate of George. Unbeknownst to us at the time, he’s a duck with a broken wing who lives in The Mirage’s volcano lagoon, which will soon be replaced by a giant, guitar-shaped hotel.

George the Duck has a broken wing that prevents him from escaping the volcano lagoon in front of The Mirage. (Image: Krista Gifford)

Krista Gifford, a Las Vegas resident and poker pro, noticed and named George while feeding ducks in the lagoon when the Strip went dark due to the pandemic shutdown.

I couldn’t help but to feel like I wanted to help him,” she told KVVU-TV/Las Vegas.

Since then, Gifford claimed, she’s fed the flightless mallard every morning — including when F1 was in town and the lagoon was drained, stranding George while his friends were able to fly to wetter pastures.

An extremely rare yellow-billed loon swims in Bellagio Lake in March, forcing the casino resort to halt its regular daily fountain shows. (Image: @dsyzdek/X)

If this scenario has a familiar ring, a yellow-billed loon was removed from the Bellagio fountains by the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDW) in March.

But that bird wasn’t injured, just confused, and it was its rarity this far south that drew most of the media attention.

George’s plight had to be trumpeted first by local social media influencers. Last week, Jen from VegasStarfish posted this Instagram video, which earned 10,600 likes. This website was also set up to save George.

“With The Mirage closing, once the water is drained this time, George is in serious danger of dying,” the website claimed, adding that “despite Krista’s persistent efforts, including meeting with Joe Lupo, the president, they continue to operate under the mistaken belief that all the ducks can fly. I guess they think George has been faking it for attention all these years.”

This last claim drew the attention of Lupo himself. The Mirage’s president left a comment beneath VegasStarfish’s video, denying that he previously spoke to Gifford.

“This story is not accurate,” Lupo wrote. “No one from this website has spoken to Mirage leadership to verify anything reported.”

The Mirage’s volcano lagoon. (Image: Tripadvisor)

No Harm, No Fowl

According to Lupo’s comment, The Mirage “will ensure the ducks are safely moved, while adhering and communicating with NV. Dept of Wildlife and LV Animal Control.”

Lupo mentioned George by name to KVVU, stating that the lagoon wouldn’t be drained for some time, but before it is, George would be moved to the Flamingo’s Wildlife Habitat.

That might not end up happening, however. According to a more recent report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Lupo has called in an animal rescuer, who will take George to a vet first and then decide on the best course of action for him.