(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Local zoo officials say they now know what killed Monty the piping plover.
A necropsy on the endangered bird determined he died of a severe fungal respiratory infection that restricted his airway, Lincoln Park Zoo announced Tuesday. The zoo worked with the University of Illinois and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Monty did not show any signs of bird flu, officials said. His remains will be turned over to the Field Museum’s avian department.
For the past few years, Monty and his mate, Rose, became famous for nesting over the summer at Montrose Beach. A witness observed Monty expiring there earlier this month; Rose has not been seen at all.
“Lincoln Park Zoo, USFWS, and all those dedicated to Monty and the piping plovers are devastated by this loss but remain hopeful for the future of this species in Chicago and the Great Lakes region,” the zoo said in a news release.
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