Flaco is a male Eurasian eagle-owl which escaped his long-time enclosure at Central Park Zoo in New York City and took up residence in Central Park in February 2023. As an exotic species in North America, and one which was confined to a small enclosure in a zoo, his escape attracted significant public and press attention. There were concerns for the bird's ability to feed itself after being captive for so long, without the need to fly or hunt, but he was seen successfully catching and eating rats a week later. Attempts to recapture Flaco continue, alongside a petition to allow him to remain free, and ongoing concerns over other dangers of the park, like rodenticide. Background The Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) is a species of eagle-owl that resides in much of Eurasia. It is one of the largest species of owl, with males, which are slightly smaller than females, weighing from , with a wingspan of . This bird has distinctive ear tufts, with upper parts that are mottled with darker blackish coloring and tawny. The wings and tail are barred. The underparts are a variably hued buff, streaked with darker coloring. The facial disc is not very defined and the orange eyes are distinctive. They are nocturnal predators, mostly eating small mammals such as rodents and rabbits, as well as occasional larger mammals and birds of varying sizes. They are found in many habitats, but are mostly birds of mountainous regions or other rocky areas, often those near varied woodland edge and shrubby areas with openings or wetlands to hunt a majority of their prey. Within their range, they have been known to live in city parks, but no part of their range overlaps with North America. Flaco was taken to the Central Park Zoo when he was less than a year old and had lived in captivity there for 12 years at the time of his escape. His enclosure was about the size of a bus stop, according to Gothamist, with fake rocks, a few branches, and a painted backdrop. It was located in the Temperate Territory part of the zoo, near a theater and the Penguins and Sea Birds building. Vandalism and escape On February 2, 2023, someone vandalized Flaco's enclosure at the zoo. The owl escaped through the new hole in the exhibit's stainless steel mesh, and zoo employees noticed he was gone at around