As more and more animal habitats are destroyed or compromised by human presence or activity there may be an increased need for zoos, sanctuaries, or wildlife parks/reserves where animals can be allowed to thrive. Of course sometimes animals escape captivity and do just fine, showing perhaps they never should have been in captivity in the first place. One Flaco the Owl made a recent jailbreak--flew the coop so to speak--and has so far avoided the nets and traps put out for him.
“It’s really exciting to see him learning how to catch his own rats,” said Ms. Barton, a health care case manager who was at the park around 1 p.m. Monday for her first look at the black-and-orange bird of prey. She had followed his activities online before then.
After Flaco flew off on Feb. 2 — his mesh enclosure had been vandalized — zoo officials, bird watchers and everyday people worried that he might not know how to fend for himself. He had never done so in his 13-year life.
But by Sunday, his survival instincts had kicked in enough for the Wildlife Conservation Society, which operates the zoo, to say it would ease the intensity of its effort to retrieve him. He had earned the chance to live without 24-hour scrutiny.
Flaco’s ability to catch his own food, the society said, had prompted officials to “rethink our approach” to returning him to the zoo while remaining focused on his well being. (He had narrowly avoided being captured with a baited trap Friday evening.)“We will continue to monitor him, though not as intensely, and look to opportunistically recover him when the situation is right,” the society added.
Flaco’s ability to catch his own food, the society said, had prompted officials to “rethink our approach” to returning him to the zoo while remaining focused on his well being. (He had narrowly avoided being captured with a baited trap Friday evening.)“We will continue to monitor him, though not as intensely, and look to opportunistically recover him when the situation is right,” the society added.
