An owl that escaped from the Central Park Zoo two weeks ago is finally free. Not only has the eagle owl regained its hunting instincts, but it has become the number 1 biological weapon to get rid of the many rats invading the park.
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Flaco – which means “thin” in Spanish – managed to extricate himself from his cage at the Central Park Zoo on February 2 after vandals cut a hole in his cage.
Watch Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle Owl, spread her wings, scream 🔊 and take off from Central Park’s Rumsey Playfield on Wednesday night. ❤️🦉 pic.twitter.com/uUOn7I1hkI
— Bird Alert Manhattan (@BirdCentralPark) February 16, 2023
Zoo officials, bird watchers, and the entire New York community worried about his ability to fend for himself to find food. The owl was less than a year old when it arrived at the Central Park Zoo in 2010 and has never had to hunt to stay alive.
Flaco did not stray too far from the park. He flew to Fifth Avenue, where police attempted to capture him, and then visited the park’s ice rink.
Getty Images via AFP
Authorities tried to lure the fugitive with bait and recordings of owl calls. He showed interest but didn’t fall for it.
The owl was not seen feeding for the first few days of its flight. But it wasn’t long before he spat out fur and bones, proof he’d managed to get his claws on the food.
It seems that Flaco quickly rediscovered his hunting instincts and mastered the art of rat hunting – which can be found in abundance in the park. His flying skills have also greatly improved.
The solution to the rat problem?
Two million rats live in the streets, sewers, buildings, shops, subways and parks of New York.
The problem is not new, but it has gotten worse in recent years. Rat sightings increased 71% in the first nine months of 2022 compared to 2020, according to city government data available to the New York Daily News.
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Would Flaco be the answer to drive some of the rats out of town?
Zoo officials said they were halting operations to rescue him but would keep a close eye on the owl if it showed any signs of trouble or distress.
According to the Wildlife Conservation Society, the eagle owl is the largest nocturnal bird of prey, with a wingspan of up to two meters. It lives in several regions of Europe and Asia.