“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

  EPHESIANS 2:10                                           

This story is about Flaco, a Eurasian eagle-owl that used to live in the Central Park Zoo in New York City. In early February 2023, someone tampered with his cage, and he escaped.

At first, zoo authorities were extremely worried about him. They thought he would be fine with the cold temperatures…but they did not think he would know how to catch his own food. A team was mobilized to search for the bird, but the initial rescue effort proved unsuccessful.

Did Flaco go hungry because he had not developed an ability to hunt while in captivity? The answer was a resounding no: Flaco is feeding on park rats, which are plentiful in New York City.

After two weeks, zoo officials announced they will be suspending recovery efforts because he was doing so well.

Officials acknowledged that recovering Flaco was difficult, especially “since he has been very successful at hunting and consuming the abundant prey in the park.

Zoo officials tried to lure Flaco with bait and recordings of eagle-owl calls. He showed interest but didn’t fall for the ruse.

“Flaco has been doing well in Central Park. And that’s amazing. He’s made a remarkable move from being a captive owl to being in the wild much faster than anyone would have expected. He’s catching prey on his own. He continues to fly better and better. He seems to be enjoying himself out there.”

People have enjoyed seeing Flaco around the park and he is getting all kinds of attention. Some people have created ways for others to share photos of Flaco sightings.

Flaco was less than a year old when he came to the Central Park Zoo in 2010, which means he went 13 years without living in the wild. Eurasian eagle-owls have large wingspans and razor sharp claws. They are natural predators. His instincts lay dormant.

God created each one of us to be a masterpiece.

We tend to see our faults in the mirror, but he has blessed each one of us with gifts.

If we put ourselves, or others, in a box or a cage, we will never experience the life God intended for us.