Toucan seen flying around Sin City has been rescued
LAS VEGAS– A toucan that had been flying around Las Vegas for months has been rescued, a bird rescue group announced Wednesday.
“We are all so worried about him,” said Skye Marsh, president and co-founder of SouthWest Exotic Avian Rescue. “It’s a relief.”
Sam the toucan has been living in Las Vegas since November, much to the chagrin of experts and bird enthusiasts who are concerned about the exotic bird’s health and its ability to survive long-term in a city subject to drastic climate change.
“(The) little stinker decided it was time to call for help and flew into someone’s garage,” Skye told the Associated Press. The owners knew who the toucan was and closed the garage so it couldn’t escape. Sam captivated the Las Vegas community after surviving in the desert for months.
After the rescue group caught him, staff took him to a local veterinarian. There are some signs of “wear and tear,” like dehydrated skin and a chip on his beak, but he seems fine, Skye said. The vet gave him fluids and ran blood tests.
Sam was eating better since the rescue group distributed healthier toucan food around a cage in an attempt to save him. Skye said the better food had improved her health, as her poop seemed healthier before her rescue.
Sam’s owners, who posted on social media that the bird had escaped from his cage in November, have not been in contact with the rescue group.
The toucan will be quarantined at a staff member’s home for 30 to 45 days to ensure it does not have bird flu, which is spread to other birds during the rescue, Skye said.
