The Oakland Zoo over the weekend successfully recaptured five out of six exotic birds that escaped their damaged enclosure last week, after a big eucalyptus tree came crashing down and tore the netting.
We learned last week that the Oakland Zoo had six escapees following Tuesday's treacherous windstorm, which brought down multiple trees on the zoo grounds and did some damage to the zoo's new aviary. The six birds that escaped were an African hooded vulture (pictured above), two pied crows, and three superb starlings.
All the birds were thought to be hovering close to the zoo grounds and the zoo said they expected to recover all six, and as of Sunday, they had brought five them back into enclosures.
As NBC Bay Area reports, the three starlings, which are native to East Africa, all flew back into their habitat of their own volition on Thursday. And on Friday, zoo officials were able to entice Oliver, the hooded vulture, into the flamingo habitat using some "tasty treats." The vulture had remained on the zoo grounds the whole time.
Oliver is home!
— Oakland Zoo (@oakzoo) March 25, 2023
After spending the last 3 days in trees on Zoo grounds, late this afternoon, this hooded vulture was persuaded to explore the flamingo habitat (rescue team placed some tasty treats inside). We're very happy to have this endangered bird back safe & sound! pic.twitter.com/NCrDG0cFO2
The pied crows, however, got a little more adventurous. One of them, named Deauville, was spotted in a neighborhood about two miles from the zoo. On Saturday, zookeepers were able, with the help of a homeowner, to lure him into a house and get him back to the zoo.
Some of that process was captured on video, tweeted below.
Great news! Today an Oakland resident living a few miles from the Zoo spotted Deauville, one of our 2 last missing birds, a Pied Crow. Our keepers headed over and were able to lure him inside this kind resident’s home, where he was safely caught & brought back to the Zoo!
— Oakland Zoo (@oakzoo) March 26, 2023
(1/3) pic.twitter.com/3w3mEFxSFL
Deauville's friend and fellow pied crow, Diego, has still not been located. Zoo officials are telling Oakland residents to alert them if he's spotted — and with his white belly he will stand out from other crows.
"If you spot him, please don’t try to catch him – he’s a very shy bird that startles easily – but DO call our rescue hotline (510-703-8986)," they said on Twitter.
This means we have one last bird to recover, another Pied Crow, named Diego. If you spot him, please don’t try to catch him – he’s a very shy bird that startles easily – but DO call our rescue hotline (510-703-8986) normally used for our Heron Rescue efforts.
— Oakland Zoo (@oakzoo) March 26, 2023
(2/3) pic.twitter.com/dRw6RWwMmk
In other, sadder news, the zoo said goodbye on Sunday to its 46-year-old African elephant Lisa, who had lived at the zoo since 1979. Lisa suffered debilitating arthritis, and the difficult decision was made to euthanize her over the weekend.
From Dr. Alex Herman, VP of Veterinary Services: “This was the best thing for Lisa, but the most painful and heart wrenching for all her Zoo family and the Bay Area community that has loved her for decades.” pic.twitter.com/1SbZ71oiED
— Oakland Zoo (@oakzoo) March 27, 2023
Previously: Oakland Zoo Sees More Storm Damage, This Time Resulting In Escaped Exotic Birds