A beloved military macaw named Sarge has gone missing from the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, prompting a wide-ranging community search.
Sarge, known for her vibrant green feathers accented with red on her head and tail, flew from Roeding Park, where the zoo is located, and has not returned. Zoo officials have conducted searches within the park and its vicinity but have been unsuccessful in locating the approximately 24-inch-long parrot.
The zoo is now calling on local residents for their help in bringing Sarge home safely. Macaws like Sarge are known to emit loud, high-pitched squawks and typically perch high in trees. Visitors who believe they have spotted Sarge are asked not to approach her directly. Instead, they should contact the zoo's 24-hour emergency hotline at 559-286-7403.
This is not the first time the Fresno Chaffee Zoo has dealt with a missing bird. Last year, a year-long search for Ripley, a hawk and a performer in the zoo's Bird Show, concluded successfully. Ripley had escaped in April 2024 after an encounter with red-tailed hawks. Approximately a year later, Ripley was sighted by a bird-watcher in Prather, about 38 miles outside Fresno. The bird-watcher contacted the zoo, and handlers were able to recover the raptor.