Escaped Zoo Owl Becomes New York Celebrity
An owl that escaped from the Central Park Zoo after his cage was damaged has become a New York celebrity, watching over parkgoers from above.
According to a report by Karen Matthews for the Associated Press, a Eurasian eagle-owl named Flaco escaped from the Central Park Zoo on February 2, after somebody damaged his exhibit. After he escaped the zoo, he flew over to the iconic Fifth Avenue to update his style and avoid capture by the New York City Police Department.
Since then, Falco the owl has been flying from tree to tree in Central Park, overseeing the proceedings of New York City residents passing through the park.
Zoo officials are still attempting to capture Falco, but that's easier said than done when a fugitive owl is able to soar through the skies to avoid capture. Zoo officials are concerned that Falco won't be able to hunt on his own, and no one has seen him eat anything during his time on the run.
But other native New York owls also frequent Central Park and feed on rats, mice and smaller birds so there should be enough available food for him to hunt on his own.
Falco has been spotted hopping between the trees in Central Park and watching ice skaters at a nearby ice rink by bird watching enthusiasts and other residents who take notice of an owl that doesn't look familiar, as Eurasian eagle-owls are not native to New York.
But as every day passes, the legend of Falco the owl grows on the streets of New York City, as the owl has yet to be captured by trained professionals. A true renegade on the run from the law.