Flamingo Chick Escapes from Devon Zoo

A four-month-old flamingo chick has gone missing from Paignton Zoo, located in Devon. The zoo announced on Facebook that the “curious” bird had “decided that it wanted to explore the local area.” Zoo personnel expressed their desire to return the flamingo to its family and requested that any sightings of the bird be reported to the wildlife park. A spokesperson for the zoo stated, “We take our duty of care very seriously and are committed to the welfare of all our animals.” The spokesperson further confirmed, “We can confirm that one of our flamingo chicks is missing from Paignton Zoo. “As this chick is only four months old, we are very keen to reunite it with its family.” They explained that “At this age flamingos are just starting to fledge, testing its wings and experimenting, which is what led to this curious chick finding its way out of its exhibit.” The zoo highlighted that flamingos are “social species and thrive within our collection. Our oldest flamingo being 55 years old, which is why we are keen to bring the chick back to its family.” The spokesperson detailed the immediate actions taken: “As soon as we were aware we searched the local area, particularly those areas with water, and asked local residents to keep a look out.” They added that “At the moment we have had no confirmed sightings and are aware of the young age of the chick and the dangers of the external world.” The zoo urged the public, “If anyone spots the flamingo chick, which is mostly grey, with pink feathers beginning to appear, please contact us directly on 01803 697500.” Information regarding BBC Devon’s presence on X, Facebook, and Instagram was provided, alongside an email address (spotlight@bbc.co.uk) for submitting story ideas. The content is copyrighted by BBC in 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC also noted its non-responsibility for the content of external sites and directed readers to information about its external linking policy.