Eurasian eagle owl at Minnesota Zoo flies away from handler, is eaten by tiger

A Eurasian eagle owl at the Minnesota Zoo flew away from its handler during a training exercise and landed in the tiger habitat, where it was killed by one of the big cats.

“Before staff could intervene, the tiger within that habitat preyed upon the owl,” said Zach Nugent, a Minnesota Zoo spokesman, in an email.

Officials at the zoo in Apple Valley confirmed that the death happened in April. It was written up in a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) report in early July during a routine inspection.

“Handling of all animals during training sessions should be done in a manner that does not cause trauma or physical harm to the animals,” the report states. The zoo should “develop and maintain” a program for “free flight training” that ensures animals remain safe, the report recommended.

The zoo had until July 5 to make that change and did so, Nugent said.

“Animal welfare is a top priority in all facets of zoo operations,” Nugent said. “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.”

Nugent said he did not know the bird’s sex or age.

The USDA report included three other problems to be fixed: a contingency plan for emergencies was incomplete, the camel enclosure was in poor shape and rodents were eating food in the feed supply garage. Those items were addressed, Nugent said.

USDA officials said they take ensuring the humane treatment of animals, which is covered by a federal law called the Animal Welfare Act, “very seriously.”

“When we find issues that bring facilities out of compliance with the [Animal Welfare Act] regulations, we work hard to bring them back into compliance as quickly as possible,” said R. Andre Bell, a spokesman for the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. “Our investigative process for individuals and/or businesses found out of compliance with the AWA may lead to an enforcement action such as letters of warning, monetary penalties, license suspensions and revocations.”

This is the second death of a Eurasian eagle owl at the zoo in less than three years. In early October 2021, a bird named Gladys went missing after flying into a tree during a training session at the zoo’s amphitheater. Weeks later, a concerned neighbor found her after she was hit by a car. She had died by the time the zoo’s medical team arrived.

There’s one other Eurasian eagle owl at the zoo, Nugent said. The owls don’t permanently live at the Minnesota Zoo but are part of a seasonal group of birds that are brought in for the summer, participating in the outdoor bird show. The owl that died was in the early stages of training and getting acclimated to its environment.

Eurasian eagle owls look similar to horned owls. They weigh 3½ to 9¼ pounds, with a wingspan of about 5 to 6½ feet, according to the Denver Zoo.