Jevgeni Fil for Unsplash (Stock photo, not the actual vulture)
The Dallas Zoo and Dallas Police Department are investigating a weekend death of an endangered vulture in the Wilds of Africa exhibit.
Updated Monday at 3:30 p.m. Zoo and police officials held a press conference, telling the public that both South Central and animal cruelty divisions are on the case.
While Dallas Zoo President and CEO Gregg Hudson says he cannot detail the precise cause of the vulture, Pin’s, death, he dismissed suggestions that the bird was poisoned and said that when staff discovered the dead animal, “there was a wound.”
When reporters asked whether that meant a stabbing or shooting, the CEO said he cannot specify, due to the ongoing investigation.
DPD spokesperson Kristin Lowman, noting that the zoo is located in a residential area, say police are doing everything within their resources to protect the public. The South Central police are investigating tampering with the cages that led to a temporary leopard misplacement. The animal cruelty division of the Dallas Police Department is handling the investigation into Pin’s death.
[Reported Monday morning]“The circumstances of the death are unusual,” the zoo’s media team noted in a statement.
The suspected avicide comes on the heels of an incident, about a week ago, in which a leopard escaped its enclosure due to, apparently, an intentionally cut fence.
For that reason, the zoo team says, they called the police, added surveillance cameras and onsite security.
“We will continue to implement and expand our safety and security measures to whatever level necessary to keep our animals and staff safe,” notes the staff. “The animal care team is heartbroken over this tremendous loss.”
It’s been a little over a year since the Dallas Zoo dealt with a series of giraffe deaths in its Giants of the Savanna exhibit.
Zoo officials say they will speak further on the vulture incident this afternoon. We will keep you posted as we learn more.
