Durban - Residents living around Mitchell Park Zoo are urged to be on the lookout for a macaw parrot named Fatty who escaped from his zoo enclosure.
A second parrot also escaped, over the weekend, but returned safely to the Zoo on its own will on Monday.
A resident living in the vicinity spotted the still missing parrot in their garden tree in Nuttall Gardens Road in Morningside. A team was sent out but the parrot gave them the slip.
eThekwini Municipality spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said the zoo is bringing in another macaw from the Umgeni Bird Park, to call to encourage him to return to the open cage to see the “new “ macaw. Residents in the area who spotted the parrots have been liaising with staff on the ground.
Visitors to the zoo are familiar with the blue and yellow (or golden) macaw parrots. The blue-and-yellow macaw, also known as the Golden macaw, is a large South American parrot, with mostly blue top parts and light orange underparts, with gradient hues of green on top of its head.
Mayisela said investigations are under-way to establish how the parrots escaped from their cage.
"All cages have a double door system to try and prevent animals / birds escaping. One parrot has been recaptured and returned to the park. The parrot was not injured. It has returned of his own volition to get food. The remaining one is fat, and as such affectionately called “fatty”, is still at large,"he said.
"The zoo staff are confident that he will return soon with the help of the public who have been informing us of sightings,"Mayisela said.