Flamingo “Comes back” Texas after 17 years Escaped from Kansas zoo in a Storm
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A flamingo that escaped a Kansas zoo during a storm 17 years ago was spotted off the coast of Texas earlier this month.
An environmental activist captured footage of the African flamingo, identified as No. 492 by the number on its leg band, walking along a pier near at Rhodes Point in Cox Bay near Port Lavaca on March 10.
No. 492 and another flamingo escaped from the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita on a stormy night in June 2005.
![Flamingo that escaped from a Kansas zoo 17 years ago during a storm is found alive in Texas | Daily Mail Online](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/03/30/05/55984743-0-image-a-10_1648615233189.jpg)
Employees had not yet clipped the birds’ wings to prevent them from flying, which facilitated their getaway.
Wildlife officials claim No. 492 has been spotted several times in Wisconsin, Louisiana and Texas.
![A flamingo that escaped a Kansas zoo during a storm 17 years ago was spotted off the coast of Texas earlier this month](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/03/30/05/55985007-10666573-image-a-12_1648615415762.jpg)
A flamingo that escaped a Kansas zoo during a storm 17 years ago was spotted off the coast of Texas earlier this month
No. 492 was brought from Africa to the Sedgwick County Zoo in Kansas in 2004. The bird escaped in June 2005 and has since been spotted in various locations across the U.S.
The Coastal Fisheries division of Texas Parks and Wildlife was apparently excited about the latest sighting of No. 492.
‘Looks like Pink Floyd has returned from the “dark side of moon!”‘ the organization wrote on Facebook Friday, sharing the video footage from the activist.
No. 492 is seen walking along the pier, which served as host for various birds.
The flamingo has been spotted on numerous occasions interacting with other wild flamingos, the wildlife authority reported.
Officials said it had been a year or two since the legendary bird was last seen in Texas.
An environmental activist captured footage of the African flamingo, identified as No. 492 by the number on its leg band, walking along a pier near at Rhodes Point in Cox Bay near Port Lavaca on March 10.
Officials said it had been a year or two since the legendary bird was last seen in Texas. Zoo officials have never made plans to recapture No. 492, despite the numerous sightings, saying there is no easy way to do so without disturbing other wildlife.
However, No. 492 seems to be a repeat visitor to the Lavaca Bay area. In June 2018, an Coastal Fisheries intern captured photos of the flamingo soaring through the sky and socializing with other birds near the coast.
‘What’s pink and white and likes to spend time in Texas? An escaped African flamingo from a Kansas zoo!’ the wildlife organization posted at the time, noting that No. 492 had ‘been living its “bird” life ever since’ its escape from the zoo.
‘A treat for avid bird watchers, it makes an appearance every few years in Texas,’ Coastal Fisheries added.
Zoo officials have never made plans to recapture No. 492, despite the sightings, saying there is no easy way to do so without disturbing other wildlife.
In June 2018, an Coastal Fisheries intern captured photos of the flamingo socializing with other birds near the coast.
The intern also captured the bird soaring through the sky. No. 492 and its missing companion were born in Africa before being shipped to Kansas in 2004 along with 39 other flamingos.
The birds escaped from the zoo on June 27, 2005, during an evening storm with strong winds, The Wichita Eagle reported.
The pair were spotted together later that summer, before they got separated.
Sedgwick County Zoo officials believe that while No. 492 traveled to the Gulf Coast, its companion headed north. The other flamingo has not been seen since August 2005.
The zoo claims the gender of No. 492 was never determined because the facility didn’t retain the bird long enough to undergo a blood test.
However, they estimate the bird to be approximately 27 years old, standing at four to five feet tall. Flamingos in the wild have a life expectancy of up to 30 years.