Wild Fox Kills 25 Flamingos and a Duck at the National Zoo
In what I'm sure was a heartbreaking morning for the Bird House staff, keepers at the National Zoo came to work today to discover that over two dozen American flamingos and a northern pintail had been attacked and killed by a wild fox, with several other birds injured. Such attacks happen from time to time at zoos, as keepers engage in constant arms races against wily native predators such as foxes, hawks, owls, raccoons, and snakes, trying to safeguard the homes of the animals. From the article, it seems that this particular habitat had been repaired and inspected regularly; this was not the result of negligence or failure to do one's duty. Sometimes, there's just a bit of bad luck - the right fox comes up at the right part of the fence under the right conditions - and tragedy unfolds.
Twenty-five flamingos is obviously much more than any fox could eat; such "killing sprees" (the origin of the saying, "a fox in the hen house") are the result of a predator suddenly finding itself faced with a huge number of potential prey, with the predation instinct being stimulated over and over again. It's not killing for fun - foxes aren't "evil," nor do they have that concept. It's just regrettably one of those things that happens, as many frustrated farmers could tell you.
Condolences to the staff of the Zoo as they tend to the remnants of their flock, repair the exhibit, and move forward from this mess. It's been fifty years since the Zoo has experienced such a loss. I suspect they'll be remembering that night with a shudder fifty years later.
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