Long Boi is probably the most famous duck in Britain and now his legacy will live on with his very own permanent memorial.
He lived on campus at the University of York since early 2019 and first appeared in the headlines in 2021 for his height of 2ft 4in and was branded Britain’s ‘longest duck’.
He was the campus celebrity and even amassed over 60,000 followers on Instagram.
But in March he went missing and despite efforts to search for him to everyone’s horror it is presumed he is dead.
Students raised £5,000 for a statue in his memory and now their dream has become a reality as Long Boi’s legacy will live on.
As well as an art trail to commemorate Long Boi featuring his distinctive silhouette near the campus’s Department of Biology, a statue of him is also in the works.
A University of York spokesperson said: ‘In 2023, the University of York turned 60 years old and lost one of its most famous alumni: Long Boi, a tall duck who was much loved by staff and students on campus and far beyond.
‘In his early days, Long Boi spent time near the Department of Biology, and is very much part of the family here.
‘The Long Boiology art trail celebrates the longest duck on the lake and the outstanding research and education that goes on in the Department. Long duck silhouettes decorated by staff and students highlight our key themes of Better Health, Green Futures and an Education that Empowers.’
The university is now on the hunt for an artist whose job it will be to design Long Boi’s statue.
Talking about the fundraiser last month, a university students union spokesperson said: ‘It’s with great pleasure that we can now announce that our Long Boi fundraiser, which closed last Saturday, has raised a grand total of £5,527!’
‘This will no doubt get Long Boi the statue he deserves.
‘We will be looking to issue an Open Call to any artists wishing to design and create the Long Boi memorial in the coming weeks and selecting a winner before the start of the next academic year.
‘We would like to issue a special thank you to all 340 of our donors – we would not have been able to memorialise His Royal Löngthness without your invaluable support.
‘We would also like to say a massive thank you to our “Big Donors” who have each contributed significantly to the success of our fundraiser.’
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