Police say he was witnessed by other patrons throwing the flamingo to the ground.
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A 45-year-old Orlando man faces felony animal cruelty charges after Tampa Police say he grabbed Pinky, Busch Gardens’ dancing flamingo, and threw her to the ground. “According to witnesses, he threw the bird to the ground with such force that the bird’s foot was almost severed”, the report elaborated.
The attack happened at about 6:44 p.m. Tuesday while Corrao was at Busch Gardens’ Jambo Junction Animal Viewing Area, Tampa police said.
Busch Gardens confirmed that the flamingo, named “Pinky”, suffered traumatic injuries. Pinky, a Chilean flamingo, was one of the park’s “animal ambassadors”.
Pinky was 19 and well-known at the park for her dance routines.
The 19-year-old animal suffered traumatic injuries and veterinarians made a decision to “humanely euthanize” it as a result, said park spokeswoman Karen Varga-Sinka.
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Pinky was a beloved member of the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay family and made many appearances on behalf of the park’s conservation and education efforts. Jail records did not list a lawyer for Corrao, who was being held on a $2,000 bond. “She will be sorely missed”. He was detained by the theme park’s security and arrested by Tampa police. A request for comment about the incident was not immediately responded to by Busch Gardens.
