East African Crowned Crane escapes enclosure from Issaquah’s Cougar Mountain Zoo
May 22, 2025, 6:53 AM
A rare bird, a juvenile East African crowned crane, has escaped from Cougar Mountain Zoo in Issaquah. (Photo courtesy of Cougar Mountain Zoo)
(Photo courtesy of Cougar Mountain Zoo)
A rare bird has escaped from Cougar Mountain Zoo in Issaquah.
The missing bird, a juvenile East African crowned crane,聽escaped its enclosure and exited the zoo grounds.
The bird was last spotted in Lake Sammamish State Park at approximately 5 p.m. Wednesday. By 5 p.m., the bird had been missing for a few hours. It was previously seen near Northwest Newport Way, just a short distance from the zoo.
“If you see her, do not approach,” Cougar Mountain Zoo warned in a statement regarding the missing bird.
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Officials described the situation as urgent and are asking for the public鈥檚 help to safely locate and return the crane. If anyone sees the bird, contact staff immediately by emailing . The zoo is calling the situation urgent due to the bird’s unfamiliarity with the surrounding area.
The zoo has not revealed how the crane escaped, just that the rare bird flew outside the zoo perimeter into a wooded area surrounding the zoo.
What is an East African crowned crane?
Crowned cranes are long-legged birds native to tropical Africa, known for their elegant appearance and elaborate courtship displays. Crowned cranes are Uganda’s national bird.
This is a developing story, check back for updates
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