Baby flamingo escapes from UK zoo however involved employees assume they know why

A baby flamingo escaped yesterday from a zoo and the zookeepers are trying to track it down.

Paignton Zoo in Devon said the bird, which is mostly grey with pink feathers, had “decided that it wanted to explore the local area”.

The zoo in Devon is appealing for any sightings of the bird to be reported directly to the wildlife park.

Staff are hoping that the flamingo is soon reunited with her family.

A spokesperson for Wild Planet Trust said: “We can confirm that one of our flamingo chicks is missing from Paignton Zoo.

“We take our duty of care very seriously and are committed to the welfare of all our animals. As this chick is only 4 months old, we are very keen to reunite it with its family.

“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.

“Flamingos are social species and thrive within our collection, our oldest flamingo is 55 years old, which is why we are keen to bring the chick back to its family.

“As soon as we were aware we alerted the relevant authorities, searched the local area, particularly those areas with water, and asked local residents to keep a look out.

“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.

“If anyone spots the flamingo chick, who is mostly grey, with pink feathers beginning to appear, please contact us directly on 01803 697500.”

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