Vicious Peacock Escapes Bronx Zoo, Bites Bystander, Roosts on Nearby Tree

An escaped peacock from the Bronx Zoo is said to have turned vicious, bit a passerby, and then roosted on top of a tree.

A victim, only known as Mike was bewildered when he was bit by the peacock and thought he was hallucinating.

Just before 8 PM on Wednesday, he first noticed the peacock strutting down a West Farms street.

Raul, The Vicious Peacock Who Fled Brox Zoo

The peacock, now known as Raul, escaped from the nearby Bronx Zoo and spent the night hiding in a tree in the Krystal Community Garden before finally taking off for home at 11:19 AM on Thursday.

The peacock is said to be very vicious, according to 911 dispatchers.

According to Mike, the brightly colored pheasant began running up the hill toward oncoming traffic. So, Mike and other people cornered the bird to stop it from running into traffic.

However, in the heat of the moment, the peacock bit Mike and flew up a tree.

According to eyewitness Chris Gutter via ABC 7, the escapee resorted to an attack when people got too close.

The FDNY acknowledged receiving a call about an animal bite, and they attended to the man's minor wounds there.

The escapee is believed to be one of the many free-ranging peafowls that live on the property, as the Bronx Zoo confirmed on Thursday.

According to animal experts, Raul's taste of the streets of New York City is perfectly normal animal behavior. Dr. Robert DeCandido, a biologist, and expert on birds, said that the peacock was most likely a male who fled in search of a territory to draw in females, FOX5 reports.

Roosting in Trees

The Wildlife Conservation Society's Max Pulsinelli said that birds typically roost at night, and the group was concerned that the crowd of onlookers would inhibit the peacock from returning to the zoo on its own.

He emphasized that peafowl are not violent and frequently travel throughout the park with visitors. But when threatened, peafowl, like many other animals, resort to taking flight.

He continued by saying that peacocks might react by pecking to defend themselves if they are cornered. We are requesting that people give the animal some room because of this.

Also Read: New Jersey Aviary Closes Permanently, Relocation of 77 Birds to 13 Zoos Scheduled

Pulsinelli reported that at 11:19 AM, the peacock thankfully flew all the way onto the zoo grounds of his own volition.

The bird began to move around at dawn, and the staff watched him until the next morning, fully expecting him to return to the zoo when he did.

Pulsinelli added that he had faith in the staff's capability to manage the circumstance.

As Raul arrived home safely, police officers and park staff joined onlookers in applauding; some shouted with joy.

Others, however, were concerned that some of those present had sinister intentions. Starr Davila, 27, claimed to have overheard conversations about seizing the peacock and selling it.

Despite the uproar, some people didn't seem as shocked by the newest adventurer in the never-ending city.

It was just another typical day in New York City, according to Aniya Drake, who arrived just in time to see Raul leaving for home, the New York Post reports.