Teal the Flamingo (2024-2025)

Teal, a Chilean flamingo, died on January 8 at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago after contracting bird flu, the latest animal victim in the ongoing spread of a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu, H5N1. Teal hatched at the zoo only last fall and, at just a few months old, “was just getting acquainted with her flock, according to the zoo. The source of exposure is not known but suspected to be contact with infected waterfowl. The bird house at the zoo will be closed to the public until further notice.

A 7-year-old harbor seal named Slater also died at the zoo one day later, also from bird flu. Teal and Slater’s deaths come amid a spike in bird flu cases in wild and captive animals in the US and around the world.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared bird flu a global zoonotic pandemic, and multiple captive wild animals have died at zoos and aquariums in the US in the past year, including five animals at Arizona’s Wildlife World Zoo. The severity of bird flu is worsened by factory farming, which serves as a breeding ground for viruses to mutate and spread.

While bird flu poses significant risk for both captive and wild animals, flamingos like Teal do not belong in captivity and deserve to live in the wild protected from human intervention. If you are interested in protecting animals while traveling and supporting animal-friendly attractions, we encourage you to avoid zoos and aquariums. Instead, visit and support accredited wild animal sanctuaries or Wildlife Heritage Areas to explore options for animal-friendly activities that do not perpetuate captivity.