There is great sadness in New York: the male eagle owl “Flaco” is dead! The bird, much loved by birdwatchers and amateur photographers, had escaped from the Central Park Zoo a year ago after strangers cut the bars of its enclosure and had unexpectedly thrived in its freedom.
As the New York Post reports, the eagle owl, which was said to be a gifted rat hunter although it was never taught how to do so, crashed into a Manhattan building while in flight and died.
Shocked residents of the Upper West Side immediately called the World Bird Fund to rescue “Flaco.” But the animal was already dead when the organization arrived. According to the report, the exact cause of death will now be determined at the Bronx Zoo.
Central Park and Fifth Avenue
‘Flaco’ had been in captivity for twelve years when vandals let him out of his cage in February 2023. He was seen repeatedly in Central Park and also on the famous luxury shopping street Fifth Avenue. The area became a place of pilgrimage for “Flaco” disciples. For many New Yorkers, the brave bird was almost a pet that was always cared for.
Despite the many sightings, the eagle owl could no longer be caught. He also did extremely well in freedom, braving the cold New York winters and having no problem hunting for his own food. It is said that he mainly caught rats. Experts had doubted this because he was born and raised in captivity.
“Outsider”
Amateur photographer Jacqueline Emery was a big fan of “Flaco”. Three months ago she talked about him in a TV interview (see above): “The amazing thing about Flaco is that he was the underdog from the start. People didn’t expect him to survive.’ But he did, and he moved “all over the island of Manhattan as if it were his own.”
“He did it all on his own, without any help from his parents. And I think a lot of people, especially New Yorkers, connect with him because he’s so resilient.”
Now “always in freedom”
She also reported at the time: “He has not been to Central Park regularly since the end of October. He explored the city. He was in the East Village, the Lower East Side and the Upper East Side. Over the past month, he has stayed at several private properties on the Upper West Side. I think he likes this area because it’s close to Central Park.” But that now became his downfall.
His New York fans mourned on Twitter after hearing the sad news. Many wrote that he would now “always be freedom” and thanked him for the joy he had brought into their lives.
Source: Krone
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