‘World’s most famous owl’ Flaco dies, zoo announces

Flaco, a rare Eurasian owl that attracted the attention of New York City and was dubbed “the world’s most famous owl,” died in a crash, the Central Park Zoo said in a statement.

“Flaco, the Eurasian eagle owl who was found missing from the Central Park Zoo after its exhibit was vandalized just over a year ago, appears to have crashed into a building on West 89th Street in Manhattan,” the zoo said in a statement. “We are sad to report that he died in an accident,” the zoo said. said in a statement Friday.

The zoo said Flaco was reported to the Wild Bird Foundation (WBF) by people who were in the building. WBF staff responded immediately, but the man was unresponsive and was pronounced dead shortly after.

“The vandals who destroyed Flaco’s exhibit endangered the safety of the birds and are ultimately responsible for Flaco’s death. We hope that the NYPD, which is investigating the vandalism, will eventually make an arrest. ” the statement continued.

Flaco arrived in the city in 2010 as a chick from North Carolina State Birds and has been used as a home in a narrow excavation in Central Park, but was reported missing on February 2, 2023. Since then, it has gone from being an unknown bird to an unwitting celebrity. Sanctuary. He was hatched and raised in captivity for the first 12 years of his life.

Police said Flaco was released from captivity by the Central Park vandals. Despite an extensive search, Flaco was able to evade capture over his year and gained supporters.

Flaco soon caused a stir on Fifth Avenue, one of Manhattan’s most fashionable shopping streets, landing on the sidewalk near the Bergdorf Goodman department store, drawing crowds and the New York City Police Department. Officers sealed him off with yellow crime scene tape and apparently set up an open cage next to him in case he wanted to surrender. Before they could move to catch him, the speckled creature flew off into a tree in front of the Plaza Hotel.

“He is without a doubt my most photographed bird of 2023,” said creator and manager David Barrett. manhattan bird alert, and ran into Flaco, who told ABC News last year. “He is the most famous bird in the world.”

Flaco continued to captivate crowds and his survival skills surprised those who never thought he could survive outside the enclosure.

“A few days ago, we observed him successfully hunting, catching and eating his prey. ,” zoo officials said last year.

On February 2, the apex predator slipped through an opening vandals cut through the stainless steel mesh of the Central Park Zoo’s enclosure and ventured out into the wilderness of America’s largest city, testing the limits of its 6-foot wingspan. It will be 1 year. For the first time in his life.

ABC News’ Bill Hutchinson contributed to this report.