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Search For Missing African Bird Continues
Posted: Mar 11, 2013 7:06 PM by Jessica Holley - jholley@kristv.com
CORPUS CHRISTI - The search for a bird that flew away from the aquarium this past weekend has gone like a wild goose chase. The bird named Piper, is still missing, but the aquarium folks remain optimistic that they'll eventually get their bird back.
Sea gulls and black birds swooped and sailed through the air around the Texas State Aquarium. A reminder of the aquarium's beloved Piper, who is still out flying the skies. Her escape came after a gust of wind swept her off course during a routine exercise with her trainer.
"At one point she started one of those flights and got picked up by the wind, she made another pattern and they got wider and wider as she was circling around and just got blown off course," says Jesse Gilbert, Texas State Aquarium.
She was last spotted sailing through the air over the Port of Corpus Christi. Piper is a trumpeter hornbill and has been a part of the aquarium family for the last five years. She thankfully is wearing a tracking device, but searchers haven't been able to pick up any signals yet.
Texas State Aquarium officials say Corpus Christi is the perfect environment for piper to survive in. It's got the right type of climate, the right type of food, and shelter. But they are still ready for her to come home. They say if you find her call the aquarium immediately and don't try to catch her on your own.
Search crews are using Saturday's wind patterns to guide crews through out the city too look for the missing tropical bird.
"We have crews out kind of towards the West part of town North in to Portland in that area and they are just going around looking for that radio signal," says Gilbert.
Phone calls from the community are pouring in with reported sightings of the missing African bird. But still no sign of missing piper.
If you spot her call the aquarium at 881-1215
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