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Flaco the Eurasian eagle-owl, who captivated New Yorkers after escaping from Central Park Zoo final February, has died.
The 13-year-old hen was discovered unresponsive on Friday by workers from the Wild Bird Fund wildlife rehabilitation centre after he apparently collided with a building on Manhattan’s West 89th Street, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.
He was pronounced useless shortly afterwards. The Wild Bird Fund notified zoo workers who took the hen to the Bronx Zoo for a necropsy.
Flaco’s escape after a vandal broke into Central Park Zoo below the duvet of darkness and reduce a gap in his metal mesh cage reworked him into one in all New York’s most beloved celebrities.
Zoo officers initially tried to recapture the majestic owl, earlier than abandoning their efforts after Flaco appeared to thrive within the city wilds of Manhattan.
Frequent sightings of Flaco searching round Central Park and perched atop building hearth escapes have been met with nice pleasure.
Flaco’s dramatic escape and survival captured New Yorkers’ hearts
(David Lei)
Flaco had initially defied fears that he can be unable to outlive exterior of captivity by studying the way to hunt New York City’s plentiful rat and pigeon inhabitants.
Wild Bird Fund director Rita McMahon informed the New York Times that Flaco might have died from consuming poisoned rats, that are sluggish and simpler to catch.
Central Park Zoo officers mentioned that they hoped whoever had reduce open Flaco’s enclosure can be caught and prosecuted.
“The vandal who damaged Flaco’s exhibit jeopardised the safety of the bird and is ultimately responsible for his death,” zoo officers mentioned in an announcement.
“We are still hopeful that the NYPD which is investigating the vandalism will ultimately make an arrest.”
Flaco initially survived by searching rats round Central Park
( Associated Press)
Flaco’s dying led to an outpouring of grief on social media.
“So much joy you brought to us all. I know I am not alone in my sadness tonight. RIP Flaco,” Sheryl Checkman wrote in a submit on X.
Valerie Block wrote in a submit that Flaco was a “gift for the short time he roamed free”, including: “May he live on in our memories.”
The Manhattan Bird Alert social media account famous that Flaco had not been heard hooting round his regular roost on the Upper West Side for the final 4 days.
It mentioned that the hen might have been unwell, and hoped that the outcomes of the necropsy would offer solutions.
