Flaco, the owl who charted his own path through the skies of Manhattan and captured the public imagination following his escape from the Central Park Zoo last year, has died, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.
“We are saddened to report that Flaco, the Eurasian eagle owl discovered missing from the Central Park Zoo after his exhibit was vandalized just over a year ago, is dead after an apparent collision with a building on West 89th Street in Manhattan,” the organization said in a statement late Friday.
Flaco’s death was reported by people in the building, according to the WCS. It follows another sad ending to the life of a famous city bird earlier this month: Rover the bald eagle was allegedly killed after being hit by a vehicle on the Henry Hudson Parkway.
The owl escaped the zoo just more than a year ago after alleged vandals damaged the mesh enclosure where he had lived.
Since then, the bird had become a symbol of the defiant resilience that has characterized so many of his fellow New Yorkers. He upended assumptions that he would not be able to hunt and survive in the wild city and has been spotted and photographed numerous times since gaining his freedom.
But ultimately the city that made him famous led to his tragic death. Flaco’s life ended as has that of many birds — after colliding with a building.
“The vandal who damaged Flaco’s exhibit jeopardized the safety of the bird and is ultimately responsible for his death,” WCS said in a statement. “We are still hopeful that the NYPD, which is investigating the vandalism, will ultimately make an arrest.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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