Owl Escapes Handler at Minnesota Zoo and Is Eaten by Tiger

The tragic incident occurred during a free flight training session for a bird show

An owl at the Minnesota Zoo suffered a tragic fate after escaping a handler.

In April, the Eurasian eagle owl flew away from a handler during a training session and landed on the ground of an outdoor tiger enclosure where it was eaten, according to an inspection report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The June report states that the incident occurred during a free flight training session for a bird show.

The agency stated that the "handling of all animals during training sessions should be done in a manner that does not cause trauma or physical harm to the animals" and instructed the zoo to ensure the safety of the animals moving forward.

In a recent interview with CBS, Minnesota Zoo's Communication and Media Relations Manager Zach Nugent said, "Animal welfare is a top priority in all facets of Zoo operations. This was a tragic incident and the Zoo has been working closely with its free-flight bird training partners to review our policies and procedures."

He continued, "Our care and training program for all of the free-flight ambassador birds in our care is based on many years of experience training free-flight birds. We recognize that every animal is an individual and as such, we build programs around their individualized flight skill, experience, and general adaptability for being included in a free-flight program."

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Per the outlet, Nugent said the owl that was eaten was new to the training.

In a separate conversation with Star Tribune, Nugent shared that staff were unable to assist the owl after its escape. "Before staff could intervene, the tiger within that habitat preyed upon the owl," he shared, also noting that he did not know the bird's sex or age.

The spokesperson told the Star Tribune that there is one other Eurasian eagle owl at the zoo. He explained that the owls do not live at the zoo permanently as they are only brought in to participate in the outdoor bird shows in the summer.

Per the zoo's website, the bird show features "soaring hawks, talking parrots, majestic owls, and many more rare and beautiful feathered creatures."

PEOPLE reached out to the Minnesota Zoo for comment but did not immediately hear back.

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In 2021, the zoo had another incident with a Eurasian eagle owl. The bird named Gladys went missing after flying off a tree during a "routine training session" and was later found dead. The owl was spotted "on the side of the road" by a "concerned neighbor" who helped her and took her to the zoo.

In a statement at the time, the zoo said their "veterinary team responded immediately but, sadly, Gladys had already died."

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