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Roseate Spoonbill Escapes Cheetah Chase at Fresno Zoo

3/26/2026

Summary

Story summary

A Roseate spoonbill at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo in California narrowly escaped a deadly encounter with cheetahs during a training session for the Winged Wonders Bird Show.
The bird accidentally flew into the cheetah enclosure, prompting a chase by the predators.
A bystander captured the incident on video, showing the bird flapping in a tree before escaping.
The zoo said the bird sustained a small laceration and is recovering, and that all animals involved are being monitored for health changes.
It remains unclear whether the zoo will implement safety changes following the incident.

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Story summary

A Roseate spoonbill at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo in California narrowly escaped a deadly encounter with cheetahs during a training session for the Winged Wonders Bird Show.
The bird accidentally flew into the cheetah enclosure, prompting a chase by the predators.
A bystander captured the incident on video, showing the bird flapping in a tree before escaping.
The zoo said the bird sustained a small laceration and is recovering, and that all animals involved are being monitored for health changes.
It remains unclear whether the zoo will implement safety changes following the incident.