DALLAS — Police are investigating after officials at the Dallas Zoo reported “unusual” circumstances surrounding the death of an endangered vulture at the facility on Saturday.
Zoo spokesperson Kari Streiber told The Dallas Morning News in a statement that the bird’s death does “not appear to be from natural causes.” She added that the zoo could not share more details due to an ongoing police investigation.
“The animal care team is heartbroken over this tremendous loss,” Streiber told the newspaper.
Dallas Zoo alerts police after ‘unusual’ death of endangered vulture https://t.co/yWHKyBQZZc
— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) January 22, 2023
According to a statement from the Dallas Police Department, a preliminary investigation determined that the bird was found dead in its enclosure, WFAA-TV and KTVT reported.
“The cause of death has not been determined at this time, but the death is being investigated as suspicious,” the statement said.
A necropsy will be conducted on the bird, police said.
The incident occurred about a week after the Dallas Zoo reported the escape of a clouded leopard from its enclosure, CNN reported. The big cat left its habitat after fencing had been cut in what police called an “intentional act.”
Zoo staff found a similar cut at a habitat for a Langurs monkey, but the animals did not escape, according to CNN.
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