ATLANTA — A beloved Zoo Atlanta’s World of Wild Theater member died this week.
Zoo officials said 23-year-old Tahoe the Harris hawk got into a fight with a wild animal in his secure outdoor mew and died from his injuries.
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It is unclear what animal attacked Tahoe and how it got inside his cage.
“Our Animal Care and Veterinary Teams are vigilant about protecting the safety of all members of our animal population and the facilities in which they are housed, all while appreciating the fact that, given our fortunate park setting, we share our grounds with native wildlife,” Zoo Atlanta wrote on Facebook. “Our teams have proactively assessed each of our World of Wild Theater bird mews and are pursuing additional preventative measures, including but not limited to scouring the area for feces, hair, or other sources which may shed clues.”
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Born in 1999, Tahoe joined the Zoo that same year. Tahoe was well known for his soaring flights and tricks he performed as he taught many zoo patrons about his species.
Harris Hawks are native to the United States Southwest and are known as “the wolves of the sky.”
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“Tahoe appeared to enjoy his opportunities for flights above an audience and really seemed to enjoy flying low enough to cause a stir,” said Rebecca Young, Curator of Ambassador Animals and a member of the team who knew Tahoe best. “He was a bird who made you work for your relationship with him, and he made you work to keep it.”
Zoo Atlanta is still investigating Tahoe’s cause of death.
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