Information reaching Kossyderrickent has it that Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl died after it collided with a building on West 89th Street in Manhattan.
Flaco the rare Eurasian eagle-owl, who had been living in Central Park after escaping the zoo passed away on Friday, according to a tweet by the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Flaco crashed into a building located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, officials stated.
“We are saddened to report that Flaco is dead after an apparent collision with a building on West 89th Street in Manhattan,” read a statement by the Central Park Zoo. “We appreciate all the support and concern over the well-being of Flaco throughout the past year and the many people who contacted us with updates.”
Last year someone slipped into the Central Park Zoo and once inside, they cut a hole through a steel mesh cage. The vandal damaged Flaco’s exhibit and he escaped.
New York City’s most popular owl is still flying free one year after escaping the Central Park Zoo.
Flaco, the Eurasian eagle-owl, escaped on Feb. 2, 2023, and to this day, birders are still following Flaco’s movements around Manhattan.
It started with a criminal act — someone cut the stainless steel mesh of his zoo exhibit on Feb. 2 of last year, and he flew out. Police still haven’t made any arrests. Efforts to capture him fizzled out after a few days when the zoo realized he was able to catch his own food.
“We had grave concerns about how Flaco would survive in the city because there are so many threats,” said Andrew Maas, with New York City Audubon.
And there still are. While Flaco has been able to quickly adapt to eating the rats in high supply citywide, they themselves could be infected by rat poison through traps.
