Lesser flamingos removed from Abilene Zoo due to unsuccessful breeding

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – The lesser flamingos that typically greet guests as they walk into the Abilene zoo have been removed due to unsuccessful breeding attempts.

Abilene Zoo Director Jesse Pottebaum announced the removal of the lesser flamingos at the Parks and Recreation Board meeting Tuesday.

Pottebaum says the are birds part of a valuable Species Survival Plan for AZA accredited zoos, but their breeding has not been successful in Abilene.

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“[It’s] sort of a dating game for all the species for this particular species,” Pottebaum says. “It was recommended for them to go to other institutions and breed. Unfortunately, we were not breading them successfully. We believe the habitat they were in was not really the right set up for them to procreate.”

The flamingos have been relocated to zoos in Fort Worth and Waco, and the Abilene Zoo now has brown pelicans on display in their place.