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From time to time wild animals that are housed at zoos around the nation do escape and that's exactly what happed to flamingo 492 from a Wichita, Kansas zoo.

Seventeen years ago during a storm at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas a couple of flamingos escaped from the zoo according to ABC 13. Ever since one of them has been flying around the country making appearances here and there. Flamingo 492, as it is known because of the leg band around its leg, was spotted on March 10th in Port Lavaca, Texas by an environmental activist.

Now I've often wondered if animals, like birds, go missing or just fly off from zoo exhibits. Especially the birds at the Caldwell Zoo. The last time I was there they had several birds on display in the open and they weren't tethered to anything. The flamingo exhibit itself was full of these majestic birds that were standing around on just one leg. My guess is that zookeepers keep their wings clipped to keep them grounded and within their exhibits.

That seems to be the case for flamingos 492 and 347, according to The New York Times. Their wings missed a harmless trimming maintenance cycle and they grew just enough to allow them to simply fly away. The African flamingos have been on the run ever since but apparently did not stay together. It is believed that 347 didn't survive long after their' escape. 492 on the other hand has been spotted throughout the years several times in Wisconsin, Louisiana, and most often along the Texas Gulf Coast.

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'Pink Floyd' was last spotted in Texas four years ago. It's good to know that he has survived the elements and predators and is still living the single life in Texas! Go Pink Floyd, or flamingo 492!

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