The National Zoo says a wild fox broke through a heavy-duty metal mesh enclosure overnight and killed 25 flamingoes and one Northern pintail duck.
Zoo staff “are devastated and mourning the loss” of the birds, a National Zoo news release said.
The zoo said the incident is the first time a predator has breached protective mesh around the flamingo exhibit since it was designed in the 1970s.
“This is a heartbreaking loss for us and everyone who cares about our animals,” said Brandie Smith, with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. “The barrier we used passed inspection and is used by other accredited zoos across the country. Our focus now is on the well-being of the remaining flock and fortifying our habitats.”
There were a total of 74 flamingos in the enclosure at the time.
In addition to the 25 flamingoes that were killed, three more flamingoes were injured and are being treated at the zoo’s veterinary hospital.
The remaining flamingos were moved to an indoor barn and the ducks were moved to a covered, secure outdoor space, the zoo said.
Staff members inspect exhibits multiple times a day, the zoo said, and the last inspection of the outdoor yards around the Bird House was Monday at 2:30 p.m. At that time, no “areas of concern were observed at the flamingo habitat,” the news release stated.
However, after the discovery of the dead birds early Tuesday morning, zoo staff discovered a new softball-sized hole in heavy-duty mesh that surrounds the outdoor yard.
The zoo said it is has already taken steps to reinforce the metal mesh surrounding flamingo yard, which was last replaced in 2017 and was inspected and accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
In addition, the zoo has installed live traps around the outdoor yard to catch any predators and digital cameras with movement-triggered infrared sensors to capture overnight activity.
The zoo’s Bird House was undergoing renovation at the time and is closed to the public. The zoo’s flamingo flock lives primarily in a 9,750-square-foot-yard outdoor space with a heated pool and barn.
American, or Caribbean, flamingos have a natural lifespan of about 40-60 years.
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