Wild fox breaks into DC’s National Zoo and leaves trail of dead flamingos in its wake

Over two dozen flamingos were killed by a wild fox at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, D.C., the zoo said in a news release.

A Northern pintail duck was also killed, and three other flamingos were injured and are being treated at the zoo’s hospital, the release said.

Zoo staff found the 25 American flamingos and the duck that had been killed early May 2. The flock originally had 74 flamingos, and the surviving birds were taken to their indoor barn for safety. The ducks were taken to a secured outdoor space, the release said.

The zoo said that staff conduct daily inspections on exhibits to make sure they’re secure. The last inspection of the flamingo yards took place the previous day, and staff didn’t notice any areas of concern, the release said.

After the attack, zoo staff found a softball-sized hole in the ”heavy-duty metal mesh” that surrounds the flamingo enclosure, the release said. The mesh was reinforced and traps were set outside the yard to catch any potential predators in the future. The zoo also installed digital camera traps with motion sensors to catch any overnight activity, the release said.

The flamingo exhibit was introduced to the zoo in the 1970s, and this is the first breach by a predator, the release said.

“This is a heartbreaking loss for us and everyone who cares about our animals,” Brandie Smith, the John and Adrienne Mars Director of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, said in the release. “The barrier we used passed inspection and is used by other accredited zoos across the country. Our focus now is on the well-being of the remaining flock and fortifying our habitats.”

Flamingos are an “abundant bird species” and aren’t considered endangered. However, they do experience habitat loss in the wild due to mineral mining and human disturbances, the National Zoo said in the release. There are around 80,000 to 90,000 American flamingos living in the wild, the release said.

This story was originally published May 3, 2022 at 2:03 PM with the headline "Wild fox breaks into DC’s National Zoo and leaves trail of dead flamingos in its wake."