NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- Central Park’s runaway owl Flaco remained on the “hoot” Friday after he yet again outplayed would-be rescuers who tried in vain to lure him back from the wild.
The Eurasian eagle owl escaped from his Central Park Zoo exhibit on Feb. 2 after an unidentified vandal cut the steel mesh of his enclosure.
More than two weeks later, the avian celeb has defied concerns he wouldn’t survive away from captivity, successfully hunting and dining on prey.
As Flaco fans continue to monitor his every move, zoo officials shared an update Friday, saying the quick-witted bird had yet again snubbed caretakers.
“Last evening, Central Park Zoo staff attempted to lure Flaco, the Eurasian eagle owl, with bait and recordings of eagle owl calls,” the zoo said. Though he showed some interest in the calls, the attempt was unsuccessful.”
The zoo added that “efforts at recovering the bird have proven more difficult since he has been very successful at hunting and consuming the abundant prey in the park.”
As for what’s next, the zoo said: “We are going to continue monitoring Flaco and his activities and to be prepared to resume recovery efforts if he shows any sign of difficulty or distress. We will issue additional updates if there is a change in the eagle owl’s status or our plan changes.”
The Eurasian eagle-owl, which is not native to North America, is one of the larger owl species with a wingspan of up to 79 inches, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society. They have large talons and distinctive ear tufts.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Related
Related
Related
