WASHINGTON — Early Monday morning, staff at the Smithsonian National Zoo were devastated to discover the loss of 25 American flamingos and one northern pintail duck in the Zoo's outdoor flamingo habitat.
They were all killed by a wild fox, that also injured an additional three flamingos that are being treated at the Zoo's veterinary hospital.
The flock originally had 74 flamingos and the remaining flamingos were moved to an indoor barn and the ducks to a covered secure space.
The fox escaped the yard unharmed according to Bird House staff.
As part of regular facility safety procedures, exhibit inspections are conducted multiple times a day by staff. Staff conducted an inspection the day before and didn't find any areas of concern.
An inspection on Monday revealed:
- A new softball-sized hole in the heavy-duty metal mesh that surrounds the yard
- There was no breach to the dig barrier in the outdoor exhibit
As a result, the Zoo has taken the following actions to prevent a repeat of this event:
- Metal mesh surrounding the flamingo yard has been reinforced. It was last replaced in 2017 and passed an accreditation inspection.
- Live traps have been set around the yard to catch any predators.
- Digital camera traps with an infrared sensor triggered by movement have been set up to capture overnight activity.
The Zoo's Bird House and surrounding plateau are undergoing a major renovation and are closed to the public.
