Owl Escaped Central Park Zoo After Exhibit Vandalized

Topline

Officials from the Central Park Zoo and the New York Police Department are searching for a Eurasian eagle owl after it escaped from its exhibit, which had been vandalized Thursday night, adding to a recent string of zoo animal disappearances.

Key Facts

The bird, a Eurasian eagle owl named Flaco, was reported missing around 8:30 p.m. Thursday after a stainless steel mesh surrounding its exhibit had been cut and vandalized, zoo officials said in a statement.

The New York Police Department tweeted a photo of the bird after it was spotted on 5th Avenue near the park—though attempts to corral it were unsuccessful.

Zoo officials were on the search for the bird through early Friday morning, according to NBC News, as Flaco was last seen flying through the trees in Central Park by 6th Avenue.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums suggests Eurasian eagle owls be kept in habitats with temperatures ranging from 32 to 85 degrees, indicating the bird is not acclimated to colder temperatures for extended periods—as the National Weather Service forecast temperatures below 10 degrees for New York City this weekend.

Surprising Fact

The Eurasian eagle owl can grow to two-and-a-half feet tall with a wingspan of up to six feet, according to the Peregrine Fund. They are notable for their pumpkin-orange eyes and ear tufts, with an expected lifespan of 20 years.

Key Background

The disappearance of the Eurasian eagle owl—found throughout portions of Europe, Asia and Africa—follows the theft of two emperor tamarin monkeys from the Dallas Zoo earlier this week, which the Dallas Police Department later found in an abandoned home. Police said Friday they arrested and charged 24-year-old Davion Irvin with six counts of cruelty to a non-livestock animal. Security at the zoo increased following the incident and others—including the disappearance of a leopard and a vulture, which later died from “unusual” circumstances, the zoo said.

Further Reading

2 Monkeys Disappeared From Dallas Zoo—And Police Think They Were Stolen (Forbes)