Owl Escapes From Zoo, Becomes a New York Celebrity

A Eurasian eagle-owl named Flaco has been on the loose for a week in New York City after a vandal cut through his mesh enclosure at the Central Park Zoo. Despite efforts to trap him and almost around-the-clock monitoring by zoo staff, the owl has so far evaded capture. With a wingspan of five to six feet, Eurasian eagle-owls are one of the world’s largest owl species, according to the nonprofit The Peregrine Fund. They have a striking appearance—bright orange eyes, ear tufts and mottled feathers—and are native to Europe, Asia and parts of northern Africa. In the wild, the birds will gobble up anything from small mammals to woodpeckers to fish and amphibians using their excellent eyesight and sharp hearing to silently swoop down on their prey.