Any time an animal escapes from a zoo, their caretakers are left worrying how they will handle life in the wild after years of captivity. Apparently it’s not as difficult as they may think, even for animals that have spent their entire life living in a zoo habitat. A flamingo that was spotted recently in Texas proved that, as it escaped from a Kansas zoo in 2005, and many are shocked the flamingo is still on the loose 17 years later.
During a stormy night in June 2005, two flamingos from the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita escaped. The birds were able to fly away as their wings had not yet been clipped by employees to prevent their escape. While one of the flamingos was never seen again, the African Flamingo known as “No. 492,” because of the number on its leg band, has gone on a 17 year journey across the country that most recently stopped in Texas.
According to NBC DFW, the flamingo was spotted by an environmental activist near Port Lavaca, Texas, at Rhodes Point in Cox Bay earlier this month. Over the years, “No. 492” has been seen in Wisconsin and Louisiana as well, usually with other flamingos. It seems the flamingo is enjoying its life as a free bird.
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