Flaco’s Funeral: New Yorkers Give Tearful Farewells to ‘Absolute Underdog’ Owl
“The story of Flaco is a story of freedom.”
Almost 200 New Yorkers gathered on Sunday, March 3, for a memorial of Flaco, a Eurasian eagle-owl. It was held at what organizers described as the bird’s favorite tree in Central Park. The base of the oak was covered with flowers, cards, drawings, photos and stuffed animals.
The farewell featured songs, poems and speeches from local admirers who followed the owl’s exploits in the park. Born to captive owls, and after living in captivity for almost 13 years since hatching, Flaco escaped from his Central Park Zoo cage on Feb. 2, 2023, when a vandal broke in and tore through his protective stainless-steel mesh netting.