One unique Greater flamingo had reached the world-record age of 83 before being put down by Australia’s Adelaide Zoo.
Flamingos are a star attraction in zoos around the world. One unique Greater flamingo had reached the world-record age of 83 before being put down by Australia’s Adelaide Zoo.
Named after its species, “Greater” the flamingo was a favorite and popular attraction as well as the last of its species in Australia. The wading bird joined Adelaide Zoo in 1933.
By 2008, Greater had become almost blind and, in that year, was nearly killed by 4 teenagers. In a couple months however, Greater managed to recover from a fractured skull and bloody beak.
Recently, Greater suffered from old age issues and arthritis. Although it made it through the bitter winter cold, zoo officials felt the humane thing to do was put Greater to sleep since ithad gotten worse and was no longer improving with treatment.
Greater’s friend “Chilly,” a 65-year-old Chilean flamingo, is now Australia’s last remaining flamingo of any kind. Zoo employees are monitoring him for any response to Greater’s passing.
The zoo is also thinking about building a memorial to Greater, and welcomes public support in that effort.
