[New York Diary] Do You Know Flaco, the Hot New Yorker Who Learned to Hunt Rats?

Stories from Everyday Life in New York

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] Recently, whenever passing by Central Park and near 5th Avenue in Manhattan, New York, I have developed a habit of scanning the high tree branches. Whenever I see a crowd of people carrying cameras equipped with huge lenses, no matter how urgent my business is, I make sure to run over. This is because of the hope of meeting the new star, the New Yorker barred owl "Flaco."

Flaco escaped from the Central Park Zoo earlier this month. On the evening of the 2nd (local time), zoo staff confirmed that someone had deliberately damaged the fence wire. Flaco, the barred owl who had been staying at the zoo since 2010, also disappeared. The zoo immediately launched a search together with the New York Police Department (NYPD). At that time, a report emerged that a barred owl had appeared on 5th Avenue, but due to the crowd, the capture ultimately failed.

How has the barred owl been doing after escaping the zoo and returning to the wild? Three weeks after the escape, the barred owl has learned to hunt rats. There is an abundance of prey in New York City. The Central Park Zoo officially announced that it is giving up on capturing him.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Flaco, with his attractive orange eyes, has recently been appearing daily on New Yorkers' Twitter and Instagram. Bird watchers, citizens, and even tourists wander around Central Park looking for him. He mainly appears in places like Sheep Meadow and North Woods within the park, but perhaps because he enjoyed the glamorous New York life, there are numerous posts reporting sightings near luxury stores on 5th Avenue.

David Barrett, who runs a bird-watching Twitter account in New York City, shares Flaco's location daily on his Twitter. This weekend, Flaco was spotted near Central West and at Great Hill within the park. Sylvia Lee, an international student living in Manhattan's Upper West Side, said, "I carefully look for Flaco whenever I pass by," adding, "It's more interesting because Flaco's updates are posted daily on various Twitter accounts." Lucas Bisset, a tourist from France, said, "Since I'm visiting New York, I want to see Flaco as well."

Earlier this month, when news of Flaco's escape broke out, there were many voices of concern. It was predicted that Flaco, who had been protected in the zoo for about 13 years since he was one year old, would not be able to find food immediately. However, after about a week, public opinion changed. Flaco was repeatedly confirmed hunting rats, eating them, and even spitting out bones after meals. Photos, videos, and eyewitness accounts flooded Twitter and Instagram. Flaco flew over the skating rink in Central Park, engaged in battles with hawks, and sometimes got close to squirrels.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Local media reported that Flaco "is living by eating the abundant rat population in New York City" and "has regained his killer instincts, becoming skilled at diving from high branches to hunt rats." New Yorkers said, "After spending 10 days in Central Park, he learned how to hunt," calling it "an amazing development."

The Central Park Zoo also stated, "At first, everyone worried whether Flaco could hunt and eat," but "this is no longer a concern." However, the zoo did not stop trying to capture Flaco. They set traps with white rats and tried to lure him with female owl calls, but Flaco did not fall for them. Barrett said, "It's amazing. He has shown an incredible transformation from a captive barred owl to a wild one. He catches his own food and flies better. He seems to be enjoying his new life very much."

This has strengthened voices opposing Flaco's capture. On social media, posts with the hashtag #freeflaco poured in, demanding his freedom. Eventually, the zoo announced on the 17th that it would stop attempting to capture Flaco. However, monitoring will continue. Since concerns about prey and habitat persist, if Flaco is ever seen suffering or in distress, the zoo plans to resume capture operations at any time.

There are various reasons why New Yorkers and tourists have recently been cheering and paying close attention to Flaco's every move, but above all, it is because he has become a "symbol of resilience" returning to the wild. Flaco is showing how to survive and adapt fiercely in New York, the world's largest city. Famous American anchor Keith Olbermann defined Flaco as "a New Yorker who loves the park and eats rats." I hope to encounter him at least once while passing through Manhattan, New York.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.