Flamingo At Illinois Zoo Euthanized After Child Throws Rock, Injuring The Bird
(CBS)--A flamingo at a central Illinois zoo had to be euthanized after a child threw a rock inside its exhibit and accidentally hurt it.
An official at Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington said the flamingo's injuries were so severe that it had to be put down.
The zoo said it is working with the child's family to make this is a learning experience for the future.
"This was a truly unfortunate accident, and we are working with the juvenile's family to move forward," Tetzloff said.
Local newspaper Pantagraph reported the rock broke the bird's leg. No layout changes will made to the exhibit, the paper reported.
According to the city of Bloomington's website, the flamingo exhibit at Miller Park Zoo opened in June 2016 after construction began almost a year earlier.
The exhibit features over 20 greater flamingos –– the tallest of the six flamingo species. In the wild, they can be found in parts of the Mediterranean and Africa.