07/04 ~ Zoo position on Eagle Incident

ZOO POSITION ON EAGLE INCIDENT

Date: July 4, 2008


The Greater Vancouver Zoo has been in operation since 1970 and is dedicated to preserving and protecting endangered species, and creating an educational environment that inspires appreciation and concern about wildlife and wild places, while providing a pleasant recreational setting for our visitors.

The growth of the human population continues to put enormous pressure on the environment. The demands on land for development in almost every country around the world is having devastating effects on wildlife and the habitat it needs to survive. It is of the utmost importance that we continue to educate people especially the young about the role that we and all animals play within the delicate fabric of life on earth.

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We all agree that it was an extremely horrific and unfortunate incident that recently happened at the Zoo with the death of our beautiful Golden Eagle named “Skye”. There has been numerous reports on what happened that day and we would like to provide an opportunity that everyone can hear our side completely.

Skye was free flying above the amphitheatre around 4:20 pm on June 27, giving the public a chance to see how wonderful she flies freely at the Zoo with her magnificent wingspan….and then she got distracted. Several crows were also flying in the same area and decided to torment Skye, eventually driving her further and further away and into the completely wrong area. A few people were admiring our lions at the time, they watched in horror as Skye decided to land on one of the logs in the lion enclosure to get her bearings back. Unfortunately for Skye, the lions immediately took notice of something different in their territory and their natural instinct took over. The female lions without delay took off and decided exactly what they wanted to do – to capture Skye.

Gary Worley, who does the Radical Raptor Birds of Prey educational presentations is a professional Falconer, and has been training and flying birds for the last 30 years was one of the first people who rushed to the scene. As he watched in horror, he was helpless and knew there was no hope for his magnificent Skye. Gary and Skye have not spent a day apart for over a year, since she arrived from another CAZA accredited facility in Ontario where she was captive breed. Daily Gary trained with Skye, in addition to providing her with the wonderful care, attention and appreciation that she needed.


Q&A

Why did we decide to continue on with the “Radical Raptors Birds of Prey” educational presentations?

It was Gary’s decision to go forward with them. Gary is a professional and firmly believes in educating our youth. The free flying raptor presentations at the Zoo provide an ideal venue to educate all of our guests on the numerous important issues of birds of prey such as: where do the birds come from, how does pesticide use affect them, why should we respect their habitat, why more birds have been endangered species etc.

Is it a common occurrence for smaller birds to attack larger or other types of birds?

Yes it is quite common for small birds to approach and gang up on larger birds, or other types of birds to attack other birds. This type of behavior is called “mobbing” and typically functions as anti-predator behavior. Especially at this time of year which is breeding season, the crows are protecting their babies and their nests.

What is the distance from the Amphitheatre (where the Radical Raptor Birds of Prey are located) to the Lion Enclosure?

It is roughly 300 – 400 meters apart.

Should the Zoo install netting over the complete cathouse enclosures for safety reasons?

Landfill sites and berry farms both have tried netting before and experienced big problems in that the birds feet then get caught in the netting itself and they cannot get free.

Has the Greater Vancouver Zoo done everything it can to provide a safe environment for all of its inhabitants?

The Greater Vancouver Zoo along with all other Zoo’s are always looking for ways to improve or further enhance our facilities. Our dedication and love of animals is sincere and we want nothing but the best for all of our animals within our facility.

I am sure everyone would agree that incidents or accidents happen in every day of each person’s life. Are we always expecting them and are we always ready for them? Unfortunately not, but we all do our best to think of ever scenario that might occur. We always welcome comments and suggestions from other facilities and/or the caring animal loving public.


INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT GOLDEN EAGLES 

• Golden Eagles are found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, common in western North America but rare in the East.
• Are considered one of the most successful eagles because they occur on more continents than any other eagle.
• One of the largest birds of prey in North America.
• Their wingspan is 185 – 220 cm (73 – 87 inches) and weight is 3000 – 6125 g (105.9 – 216.21 ounces).
• Live 50 years in captivity and roughly 35 years in the wild.
• Biggest threat is habitat destruction from humans.

The Greater Vancouver Zoo is again grateful for all the support that we have been receiving and we would like to share a few public comments:

• “My heart goes out to the trainer of the lost bird and I applaud his bravery to get right back to his job that he is so obviously passionate about! With all the criticism that is about to if not already overwhelm your organization, I wanted to let you hear something positive and that there are people who are animal lovers that fully support your organization and believe that all of the staff working with the animals at the zoo do so because of the love of the animals. I have to believe that some years are just tougher than others and that it is important to not lose sight of our passions, in particular when it comes to the ANIMALS!”

• “Our family is a big fan of the Vancouver Zoo and the Birds of Prey show was the part we all loved the most. We were all very saddened to see the news this morning and the loss of that beautiful golden eagle. Once again our deepest condolences, I would imagine that raising this bird from the time it was a baby would make it very much a part of your family.”

• “Many of us have flown eagles as well and experienced the anxiety, etc when one of the birds flies off during training or a show and/or the grief of a bird we have worked with and bonded with dies. However, I cannot even begin to imagine the horror you must feel from this experience. It is the unthinkable with which we are always hopeful we never encounter. From one set of trainers to another... we send our most sincere and heartfelt condolences, nobody should ever have to witness such a tragedy. “

“As with all the birds, Skye is a friend of mine, and it was very upsetting for me to watch as several people were taking photos of her horrific death especially after I asked them all not to proceed. To me it was just a matter of respect for Skye, would you photograph your friend dieing in a car accident?” says Gary Worley, Conservation Manager & Professional Falconer, at the Greater Vancouver Zoo.

Gary, the other staff members and volunteers are grieving the loss of Skye…she was an amazing friend of ours!



Media Contact:

Jody Henderson
Marketing & Promotions Manager
Phone: 604.856.6825 x 33
Email: jhenderson@gvzoo.com

Since 1970….dedicated to conservation, preservation & protection of endangered species!