A flamingo named Pinky had to be euthanized on Tuesday, August 2, after a man attacked her at the Busch Gardens park in Tampa Bay, Florida, the Associated Press reports.
Visitor Joseph Anthony Corrao, 45, was with his family when he allegedly approached the flamingo around 6:44 p.m. at the Jambo Junction Viewing Area. Onlookers told authorities that they saw him pick up the bird and violently throw her to the ground.
Corrao was detained at the scene and charged with aggravated cruelty to animals. He is being held on a $5,000 bond at the Orient Road Jail. Police still do not know what prompted Corrao’s actions.
According to the AP, Pinky, also known as “diva extraordinaire,” was immediately transported to the park’s Animal Care Center. Employees decided to euthanize her because the injuries she suffered were too traumatic to recover from.
Busch Gardens released a statement following the incident. “Pinky was a beloved member of the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay family,” the park said, via Tampa affiliate WFTS. “[She] made many appearances on behalf of the park’s conservation and education efforts. She will be sorely missed.”
