Owl Eaten by Tiger After Flying Away from Handler During Zoo Demonstration
Incident Date:
04/29/2024
Location:
Apple Valley, MN - USA
Facility Name:
Minnesota Zoo
Facility Type:
Accredited AZA Facility (AZA)
Incident Category:
Animal Death (AD)
Species:
Other
Animal:
Owl
Animal disposition:
Dead
Summary:
Apple Valley, MN – A Eurasian eagle owl from the Minnesota Zoo flew away from a handler during a training session and was eaten by a tiger. The incident, outlined in an inspection report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, happened in April of this year. The handler was training the owl for a bird show, but it failed to come back and landed in the outdoor tiger enclosure, where it was eaten.
It’s the second time in three years that a Eurasian eagle owl died after flying away from the zoo. In 2021, Gladys flew off a tree during a training session and was found days later on the side of the road. She was injured and the zoo’s veterinary team was unable to save her.
Action take by Born Free USA:
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