Feb. 17 (UPI) — A Las Vegas animal rescue group is attempting to capture a loose toucan seen flying free in the city for several months.
Area residents have captured photos of the African bird traveling around Las Vegas since at least November, with the toucan turning up in locations including the Los Prados Golf Course and Floyd Lamb Park.
A post on Pawboost indicates the toucan might be an escapee named Sam Toucan, who flew the coop from his enclosure near Lone Mountain and Torrey Pines in mid-November.
Katherine Eddington, who spotted the bird on Friday, said she initially thought she was looking at a crow eating a banana.
“I was going north on Simmons, and I was getting to the intersection here at Ann, and he flew over from the Chevron, and he flew over the intersection and landed in this tree next to Burger King,” Eddington told KVVU-TV.
SouthWest Exotic Avian Rescue, or SWEAR, said on social media that it has been trying to capture the toucan for three months, but their efforts have been hampered by well-meaning residents attempting to mount their own capture efforts and chasing the avian away.
“We are shocked hes survived this long,” the post said.
The group is asking residents to report any sightings and not attempt to approach the bird. The rescue also asked the public not to feed the toucan, as they are baiting traps with bird-friendly meals.