A woman who claimed she was knocked out by a duck while riding SeaWorld Orlando’s Mako was not hit by a duck, SeaWorld said in a court filing.
SeaWorld said Hillary Martin was hit by a Snowy Egret, a bird best described as a “small and active wading bird that can reach a height of 26 inches [that] commonly prefer shallow estuarine areas, including mangroves, shallow bays, saltmarsh pools, and tidal channels.”
“This matter does not and has never involved a duck,” SeaWorld’s attorney wrote.
Additionally, SeaWorld said its investigation of Martin’s claims found she refused medical treatment because she didn’t want to be held up and wanted to continue her day at the park. They also said she was treated for her bird strike the next day.
SeaWorld is now asking the judge to throw Martin’s lawsuit out, saying the park has no legal responsibility for the Egret’s actions since it had no control over the bird. Its filing cited several cases involving birds and an alligator.
SeaWorld also pushed back on Martin’s claim that the park created a “zone of risk” by building Mako near a body of water where Egrets gather, calling the allegation speculative and conjecture with no legal basis.
“Th duck presence in the air, away from the alleged water source, negates any plausible relationship between SeaWorld’s premises and Plaintiff’s alleged injury,” SeaWorld’s attorney wrote.
SeaWorld’s attorney added, “Martin’s event, by its own description, could have occurred regardless of the presence or absence of any body of water within the park, and it still would not have been SeaWorld’s legal responsibility.”
SeaWorld has told Martin’s attorney about the investigation findings. A court hearing has been scheduled for the 8th December, 2025. Stay tuned for further updates.
Stay tuned to Orlando Theme Park Zone for more Orlando theme park-related news and information.
H/T WFTV
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