The Owl That Was Labeled a Peeping Tom



In February 2023, someone cut the protective netting of an enclosure that housed Flaco the owl at the Central Park Zoo in New York City. His escape attracted significant public and press attention, especially because he was a species not native to North America. There were concerns for his ability to feed himself after being in captivity for so long, since he had not previously needed to fly or hunt. Flaco subsequently resided in and around Central Park and was spotted successfully catching and eating rats a week after his escape. Attempts to recapture Flaco failed, and a petition circulated, advocating that he be allowed to remain free. Because Flaco was caught looking in apartment windows throughout Manhattan, the Wall Street Journal even dubbed him a “peeping Tom.” The owl quickly became a tourist attraction, with a number of artists painting murals of the famous owl. Poems were written about him, musicians wrote songs about him, and some people even got tattoos of his likeness. On February 23, 2024, Flaco was found on the ground on West 89th Street, seriously injured from what was later determined to be a collision with a building. A autopsy revealed that Flaco had actually died from rat poison, likely ingested as a result of eating poisoned rats. Following Flaco’s death, people began leaving photos, cards, and other mementos under an oak tree that he frequently roosted in. Flaco’s remains were donated to the American Museum of Natural History.