The Smithsonian National Zoo said Tuesday that 25 American flamingos and a Northern pintail duck were killed a day earlier by a wild fox that entered the animals’ outdoor habitat.
In addition to the killed birds, three flamingos were injured in the attack and are being treated by veterinarians at the facility, the zoo said in a statement. Staff at the zoo discovered the massacre early Monday morning and saw the fox before it escaped the habitat, according to the statement, which said live traps have now been set around the area to catch predators. “This is a heartbreaking loss for us and everyone who cares about our animals,” said Brandie Smith, the zoo’s director, in the statement.
