I’ve had this Wikipedia entry open in a tab since last March, for numerous reasons it has stuck with me. I decided to enshrine it here as a short work of “found poetry” (blargh) so I can finally close the tab.
- T. Bloom
Greater (flamingo)
Greater, also known as Flamingo One and Flamingo 1
(died January 30, 2014)
was the world's oldest greater flamingo
(Phoenicopterus roseus),
residing at the Adelaide Zoo in Adelaide, Australia.
It was at least 83 years old, having arrived at the zoo
(records are unclear)[1]
in either 1933, 1930, 1925, or 1919
(the dates of the last four importations of greater flamingos to the Adelaide Zoo)[2]
at which point it was already a full-grown adult.[3]
Greater's sex was never determined.[4]
On October 29, 2008,[5] Greater was attacked and beaten by four teenagers.
The almost blind bird was badly injured, but soon recovered.[6]
Its assailants were arrested, and initially charged with ill-treatment of an animal,[7]
however all charges were later dropped
and nobody ended up being prosecuted.[8]
In April 2013, zoo personnel noticed that Greater was beginning
to show signs of arthritis, which they attempted to treat with medication.[9]
However, in late January 2014, Greater's health deteriorated even further,
and the decision was made to euthanize Greater.[9]
At the time of its death, Greater was
the only greater flamingo in captivity in Australia;[2]
there is a moratorium on the importation of flamingos into Australia.[4]
Photo by Les Haines, (2013)
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