A macaw at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo died Tuesday after it flew into the tiger exhibit.
The female green-winged macaw was being trained for a free-flight bird show when it strayed off course Tuesday morning and flew into the nearby Sumatran tiger enclosure.
The macaw was “engaged” by one of the two tigers, the zoo said, but it wasn’t clear whether the tiger batted the macaw from the air or did something else to injure it.
The tiger did not eat the bird.
Instead, zookeepers acted swiftly and ushered the tigers into their indoor habitat, allowing the zoo’s veterinary team to treat the bird. It later died at the zoo’s on-site clinic.
“The safety of our guests, staff and animals is the highest priority,” said zoo spokesman Ryan Gross, who witnessed the incident. “At no point were any of our guests or staff in danger. We are currently evaluating the situation with our animal team about our future flighted bird presentation.”
Training for the free-flight show has been suspended.
