Flamingo Blog
Adelaide Zoo
Updates on our Greater Flamingo.
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Greater Flamingo
Cards and Letters
We received a number of cards and letters or concern and support for the flamingo after the incident. Here are some of them.
Back to Normal
The flamingo is still doing well, activity patterns have settled back into a daily routine though it can still adapt to changes. We recently removed a plant from its enclosure and this now creates a new path that the flamingo uses often. Weight is still good, most recently at 4.10kg. With its last few weights varying from 4.1kg to 4.3kg (with the variation possibly caused by whether it has recently fed or not) its weight is consistent enough to be of no further concern.
Flamingo Update
A follow-up Zoowatch has been done on the flamingos with a roster of volunteers stationed in front of the exhibit eight hours a day for seven days.
From the data obtained there has only been a small variation in the enclosure spatial usage, the Greater Flamingo is on the lawn area for 72% of the time and in the pond for 24%. The Chilean Flamingo however has increased its usage of the pond to 99% of its time. The number of feeds throughout the day has also stabilized for the Greater Flamingo, averaging 4 to 5 feeds from the feed bucket per day. The Greater Flamingos weight has also stabilized. On 21st December its weight was 4.36kg and on the 7th January was 4.39kg.
MEET THE FLAMINGO KEEPER
Hi there
I'm Vaughan, the keeper normally responsible for looking after the Flamingos as well as another 300+ birds at Adelaide Zoo. I have been working here for about six years and have looked after the flamingos for about four of those years. I also used to be a volunteer guide here at the zoo for close to twenty years before that so I have a long history of being around Adelaide Zoo, and being around the flamingos. I have also been fortunate enough to have observed flamingos in the wild in Africa.
I hope you enjoy our website and the information that we can provide to you. I’ll be weighing the flamingo again soon so will write another update over the weekend.
Merry Christmas.
FLAMINGO UPDATE
The Greater Flamingo has been doing fine all week. Its weight today is 4.04kg. Though this is down on the last weighing, it is a return to the likely standard weight. Another Zoowatch will be starting next week to enable a comparison of present behaviour to the results of the last Zoowatch post incident.
Day 37: FLAMINGO RECOVERING
Both Flamingos are spending a large amount of time in the pond over the last few days, maybe due to the warmer temperatures.
The attitude of the Greater Flamingo is good, was quite vocal this morning, and after a good hour or so of feeding has bunkered down for a sleep. Even the slight bit of rain has not changed his sleep patterns, and he is currently standing in the rain, head tucked under the right wing. Happy as really!
Day 34: FLAMINGO RECOVERING
Day 33: FLAMINGO RECOVERING
The flamingo is still gaining weight - today’s weight is 4.31kg. That’s another big increase over the last week. To put it on the walk-on scales, it needs to be gently picked up and placed on the scales, so the chest area is felt every weigh day.
The condition of the bird now feels really good too, very solid and heavy chest.
Day 28: FLAMINGO RECOVERING
Day 25: FLAMINGO RECOVERING
Flamingo still gaining weight, 4.09kg today.
Day 20: FLAMINGO RECOVERING
Last day of the volunteer Zoowatch on the flamingo, with some interesting data on the flamingo behaviour collected:
- The Greater Flamingo has spent 67% of its time over the last two weeks on the lawn, 5% on the sand area and 28% in the pond, compared to the Chilean Flamingo who has spent only 10% if its time on the lawn, 11% on the sand area and 79% in the pond.
- The Chilean Flamingo has also spent a lot of time sieving the pond for food and has found all it needs to eat from the pond as it hasn’t eaten from the food bucket in the last two weeks. There must be a lot of insect and plant growth in the water.
Greater Flamingo weight today is 4.04kg – up again. Weighing reduced to approximately weekly.
Day 17: FLAMINGO RECOVERING
Behaviour has been about the same during the day, and the flamingo has had a massive weight gain – up to 3.97kg. WOW! This is about the weight of the bird when it was taken back to its enclosure after the incident. Terrific news.
Day 13: FLAMINGO RECOVERING
The last two days have been similar to day 8, feeding a little in the morning and in the pond about half the time. Afternoon weight up to 3.76kg, four days of slow weight gain which is great. Weighing is to be reduced to every 2nd or 3rd day with the Zoowatch volunteers continuing for another week.
Day 11: FLAMINGO RECOVERING
The flamingo started feeding from its food bucket today for a few minutes early morning, mid morning and again late morning. Spent half of the day in the pond and seems to be more active.
Day 10: FLAMINGO RECOVERING
Day 9: FLAMINGO RECOVERING
Other than the first half hour after being release from its night quarters which it spent in the pond, the rest of the day was spent on the lawn. The period of time spent resting with its head tucked underneath its back feathers is reducing with an increase in the amount of time spent preening or calling to the Chilean Flamingo.
Day 8: FLAMINGO RECOVERING
It was observed to filter feed from the pond for a few minutes early morning though not again for the rest of the day. It was drinking from the pond periodically throughout the day so hopefully obtaining some nutrients.
Day 7: FLAMINGO RECOVERING
The flamingo was observed to filter feed in the pond today, though only for a short period. Again most of the day was spent resting in the pond in the morning and on the lawn area late morning and all afternoon.
Day 6: FLAMINGO RECOVERING
It has returned to using some of the lawn quite close to the public pathway allowing the public to easily see its injury.
Day 5: FLAMINGO RECOVERING
Today was very similar to yesterday, though it was in the pond for a short period of time early in the day. It was observed to be filter feeding but only for a couple of minutes. The rest of the day was spent resting on the lawn or sand area. All behaviours at this stage seemed to be normal though the amount of time spent resting with its head tucked underneath its back feathers is much greater than normal, and it was feeding much less. This is causing some concern.
Day 4: FLAMINGO RECOVERING
Today starts a Flamingo Zoowatch, where volunteers of Adelaide Zoo help the keeping staff by watching and recording information. A series of rostered volunteers will be stationed in front of the flamingo exhibit at all times while the flamingo is in the enclosure, probably for the next fortnight. They will be recording information such as where both the Greater and Chilean Flamingo are within the enclosure every five minutes throughout the day, and whether either of them have been eating any of the prepared food or sifting for food within the pond. They will also be monitoring its behaviour, ensuring that keepers are called if there are any concerns.
Day 3: FLAMINGO BACK ON DISPLAY
To assist in its recovery, it was thought beneficial to encourage the flamingo to continue normal behaviour wherever possible. And so in front of a large group of media, the flamingo was released from its night quarters into its day enclosure and pond. Though showing some signs of reticence to move and slight disorientation, it appeared to walk well.
Day 2: FLAMINGO SURVIVES THE NIGHT
Overnight the flamingo had drunk some water and had cleaned some of the blood from its bill. It was supporting its own body weight well and appeared fairly stable. The Chilean Flamingo back in the Flamingo pond appeared quiet though behaving relatively normal.
Day 1: FLAMINGO INJURED
After a report from a member of the public, the Greater Flamingo was found collapsed on the ground of its enclosure bleeding profusely from a gash on the right side of its head and possibly internally. This injury was allegedly caused by four teenagers.
The flamingo was unable to stand or to hold its head up. It was rushed to the Adelaide Zoo’s Animal Health Centre, where it was treated by our veterinary team. As its bill and throat were filling with blood, an oxygen tube was inserted down its throat under gaseous anaesthetic to assist in breathing. Anti-inflammatory medication and antibiotics were also administered. For a couple of hours its head was supported by zoo staff as the bird was unable to support itself. Rostered off staff were called and advised it was unlikely to survive the night.
After a couple of hours it began to support its own head with little assistance and slowly grew stronger. It was maintained in a quiet supported area of the Health Centre but was unable to stand or do little more than hold its head just above the ground. As flamingos normally stand, it was felt important that the patient stand to allow blood to flow freely through its legs. To facilitate this, a sling was constructed to support the flamingo’s weight while allowing its legs to hang freely and to allow it to stand when strong enough. A few hours after the incident, it began to stand, supporting its own weight. It was maintained in the sling overnight, being monitored by zoo staff periodically throughout the night.