Sometimes, I don’t understand people. Why would anyone want to hurt an innocent animal?
And after reading about this tragic story, you really start to think.
Maybe parents need to stop letting kids run the show and make rules, maybe we must start teach them to have compassion and empathy towards other living beings and this kind of stuff would not happen!
Earlier this week, a Miller Park Zoo flamingo was euthanized after an elementary school student threw a rock inside the animal’s exhibit.
A representative from the Bloomington, Illinois zoo told CNN affiliate WMBD that the rock broke the flamingo’s leg and caused severe injuries.
Now, the Illinois zoo said it’s working with the student’s family to make sure this is a learning experience, WMBD reported.
“A juvenile guest accidentally injured a flamingo on Monday by skipping a rock into the habitat,” Jay Tetzloff, director of the city-owned zoo and parks, recreation and cultural arts department, said in an email Tuesday afternoon.
The greater flamingo exhibit at the zoo opened in June 2016, according to the city of Bloomington.
When the exhibit opened, it was the first project in the zoo’s $16.7 million master plan and first new exhibit since 2004.
Greater flamingos are found in the Middle East in countries like Iran, Turkey and Afghanistan, as well as in areas across west Africa, South America and throughout Europe.
Unfortunately, they are often hunted across the Middle East and Africa and their eggs are often captured for profit.
The flamingo’s lifespan in the wild is about 30 years, but flamingos have been observed living long life spans in captivity of 50 years of longer.
The oldest flamingo is captivity is 77 years old, according to Bio Expedition.
Children shouldn’t be throwing rocks at animals or people, period!
Never minimize bad or unacceptable behaviour, it can lead to unseeable consequences.
