Organizers push for Central Park statue of 'Flaco'

Mark Moran
·2 min read
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Flaco, the Eurasian eagle owl who escaped from its vandalized enclosure at the Central Park Zoo, sits on a tree branch in the north west area of Central Park on Monday, February 20, 2023 in New York City. Flaco died last month. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
Flaco, the Eurasian eagle owl who escaped from its vandalized enclosure at the Central Park Zoo, sits on a tree branch in the north west area of Central Park on Monday, February 20, 2023 in New York City. Flaco died last month. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

March 10 (UPI) -- New Yorkers have launched a petition drive to memorialize the now-famous Eaurasian eagle owl, Flaco, with a life size statue in Central Park.

Flaco was freed from his enclosure at the Central Park Zoo last year and survived among the urban landscape of New York City, becoming somewhat legendary during his time outside the zoo. He died when he flew into a building last month.

The zoo said a vandal cut a hole in Flaco's mesh enclosure and called on the New York Police Department to make an arrest.

Supporters have collected more than 3,500 signatures in support of the statue, which they propose for an area of the park where Flaco was known to roost. It calls for "a pedestal with a branch protruding and a life size Flaco statue."

The petition says Flaco's ability to thrive in the urban environment, despite being raised in captivity, resonated deeply with New Yorkers "symbolizing resilience and against-all-odds survival."

Photographers and bird watchers look up at Flaco, the Eurasian eagle owl who escaped from its vandalized enclosure at the Central Park Zoo, as he sits on a tree branch in the north west area of Central Park on Monday, February 20, 2023 in New York City. Flaco died last month and organizers have launched a drive for a statue. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

Petition author and longtime New York City resident Mike Hubbard said Flaco inspired wonder and unity among people from diverse backgrounds.

Installing statues in Central Park is a long and complex process and few proposals are ultimately approved.

Central Park visitors have brought photos and created artistic tributes to Flaco in addition to laying flowers near his roosting spot.

"Flaco's swift adaptation to life in the wild inspired people all over the world," David Barrett posted on his X page @BirdCentralPark.

Flaco "seemed to love being a free owl," Barrett said. "The time we last saw Flaco, he was hooting from the top of a 20-story building on the Upper West Side, looking and sounding at the peak of his powers. We will remember him at his best."

Eurasian eagle owls can live up to 60 years in captivity. Flaco died just short of his 14th birthday. The raptors are native to a region spanning from Siberia to Ethiopia. The zoo suspended efforts to capture Flaco once he seemed to be thriving in the wild.

The Wildlife Conservation Society, which oversees the Central Park Zoo, says Flaco's death underscores the need for greater awareness and protection of wildlife.