Unfortunately, Flaco, the well-liked Eurasian eagle owl that had escaped from the Central Park Zoo the previous year, has passed away. In a statement that was issued on Friday evening, the Central Park Zoo confirmed that the bird had passed away.
“We are saddened to report that Flaco, the Eurasian eagle owl discovered missing from the Central Park Zoo after his exhibit was vandalized just over a year ago, has passed away after what appears to have been a collision with a building on West 89th Street in Manhattan,” the zoo said in a statement. The statement claims that building residents informed the Wild Bird Fund (WBF), a city-established bird rescue organization, about the collision they believed Flaco to have caused.
The zoo published a statement that stated, “Staff from the WBF quickly responded, retrieved the non-responsive owl, and declared him dead shortly afterward.” “The WBF informed the zoo staff, who then picked up the bird and transported him to the Bronx Zoo for a necropsy,” wrote the correspondent.
According to the zoo’s press release, in February of the previous year, a vandal or vandals broke through the stainless steel mesh of the enclosure, allowing Flaco to escape from his display at the Central Park Zoo. Twelve years had passed since he moved in.
At the beginning of this month, the owl celebrated finishing a complete year of living in the wild. Bird watchers had reported seeing him in Central Park and on the Upper West Side on multiple occasions since he had escaped.
New York City residents gathered in Central Park on Saturday to pay their respects to Flaco at a makeshift memorial near his favorite oak tree. He would frequently take a break there during the day.
“It struck me with great force. This was not the news that I was expecting to hear when I woke up; it was like receiving a hit to the gut,” said Christina Zacharczuk, who is passionate about birds.
“The news is extraordinarily upsetting. There was a lot of affection for Flaco, an owl, and we watched him almost every day. He was respected all across the world. ” “For a considerable amount of time, the Flaco was the most well-known bird in the world,” said David Barrett, a birder who is in charge of Manhattan Bird Alert on X. Regarding the whereabouts of the owl, Barrett kept Flaco fans informed at all times.
Some New Yorkers followed Flaco’s journey throughout Manhattan, from the East Village to the Upper West Side to Central Park, in order to have a better look at the magnificent owl in person.
The zoo expressed its gratitude in a statement, stating that it “appreciated all the support and concern over the well-being of Flaco throughout the past year and the many people who contacted us with updates.”
According to a statement released by the zoo, “We especially appreciate the quick response shown by the staff of the Wild Bird Fund in their attempt to assist Flaco.”
“The vandal who damaged Flaco’s exhibit put the bird’s safety in jeopardy and is ultimately responsible for his death,” the report went on to say. Our hope is that the New York Police Department, which is currently conducting an investigation into the vandalism, will eventually make an arrest.
A month from now, Flaco would have turned 14 years old.