1 month ago
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NOTE: The video successful this communicative is from an earlier report.
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A hawk missing from Fresno Chaffee Zoo since April 2024 has returned, 15 months aft different hawks chased him distant during a regular amusement astatine the zoo.
According to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, successful April 2024, Ripley was taking portion successful the Winged Wonders Bird Show erstwhile helium was chased from the tract by a brace of red-tailed hawks. Ripley had been taking portion successful the amusement for much than 7 years without incident.
Thousands of radical shared his story, and the Fresno Chaffee Zoo received dozens of reported sightings successful return. Officials accidental zoo unit followed up connected each lead, but nary led to Ripley - until now.
On July 29, 2025, zoo officials accidental a nonmigratory successful Prather noticed an unfamiliar vertebrate successful their yard. The nonmigratory aboriginal discovered that this vertebrate appeared to beryllium a Harris’s hawk.
Harris's hawks were not autochthonal to that area, prompting the nonmigratory to hunt online for missing birds, yet uncovering a news nonfiction astir Ripley and contacting the zoo.
Zoo unit responded and confirmed the sighting was so Ripley. Determined to bring him home, the squad waded into the pond and called retired to Ripley, who recognized his caretakers.
After astir 20 minutes of navigating his mode down, officials accidental Ripley flew straight to the squad and was safely recovered, yet returning location to Fresno Chaffee Zoo.
Officials astatine the zoo accidental wellness checks amusement Ripley is successful remarkably bully condition, with lone a fewer insignificant concerns. He is being treated astatine the zoo’s veterinary halfway and volition stay determination arsenic helium recovers.
Staff accidental whether oregon not Ripley returns to the vertebrate amusement volition beryllium wholly connected his comfortableness level.
