Tourist Favorite Toucan Flies Coop From Florida Sanctuary

DAVIE, FL — Tourist favorite Tiki the Toucan has been spotted at least half a dozen times since flying the coop from her home at the Flamingo Gardens animal sanctuary last weekend. But each time Tiki's handlers get close, they have been left holding the proverbial bird in the bush. The good news is that the mischievous keel-billed Toucan appears to be sticking close to her home just outside Miami.

"She's been spotted probably at least six times within a five-mile radius," wildlife curator Laura Wyatt of Flamingo Gardens told Patch after returning from a possible sighting on Wednesday afternoon. "We're going out on every call that anybody gives us to try to rescue her."

A former house pet, Tiki was brought to the sanctuary last year after being purchased by a woman who wanted her as a mate for her male Toucan.

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The male Toucan simply didn't know how to treat a lady like Tiki.

"We do really just rescue native Florida wildlife here, but we also do take in sometimes people's pets," Wyatt explained adding that Tiki was supposed to go to another facility. "It did not work out with the other facility so we ended keeping her and we ended up building her a nice cage."

Tiki escaped from her cage on Saturday afternoon, according to Wyatt, who fears that Tiki may become a target for wild birds of prey.

"A keeper was cleaning and feeding her in the afternoon. When they were leaving the cage, she accidentally got over their head," recalled Wyatt, who said that Tiki got spooked by some wild crows, Mockingbirds and Blue Jays.

"That was scaring her to come back down to the keeper," Wyatt explained, adding that handlers tried to keep Tiki in sight for as long as they could.

Established in 1927, Flamingo Gardens is one of the oldest botanical gardens in South Florida. The 60-acre not-for-profit is home to more than 3,000 tropical and sub-tropic species of plants and trees, including some of the last natural jungle in South Florida.

"We ask people if they see her to just keep their eye on her," Wyatt said of Tiki. "Call us immediately because birds can move very quickly."

While Tiki has spent her entire life in captivity, she is likely to be feeding on an ample supply of fresh mangos in the area.

"She does not have a whole lot of skill of being wild," Wyatt confided.

Most of the alligators, panthers, otters, bobcats and 45 species of birds who make their homes at the Everglades Wildlife Sanctuary within the grounds of Flamingo Gardens have suffered injuries that makes it difficult for them to live in the wild. Their offspring is frequently released back into nature.

Tiki is already missed.

"Everybody loved her. She was beautiful. She was the center of attraction right now because we moved her to an exhibit by the Flamingos and it was by the cafe," Wyatt said. "People could eat lunch and talk to Tiki. She doesn't talk. She makes kind of a ratchet noise, which is very loud. That's going to be another way for people to be able to identify her."

For more information on Flamingo Gardens or to plan a visit click here. If you spot Tiki, call 954-473-2955.

Watch as Tiki plays catch in the video below:

Watch as Tiki grabs a snack:

Tiki the Toucan has been missing from Flamingo Gardens in Davie, Florida since Saturday. Photo courtesy Flamingo Gardens.