Fans Petition Parks Dept. for a Statue Honoring Flaco, But It Could Be a Very Long Wait

Fans of Flaco, the Eurasian eagle-owl, escaped Central Park Zoo and died on Feb. 26 after striking an Upper West Side Building want him to be memoralized with a statue in Central Park and several online petitions are already circulating.

His memorial took place on Feb. 26 at his favorite elm tree in the Central Park North Meadow. So far, there are a total of 5,507 signatures on three different petitions from Mike Hubbard, Jesse McGraw, and David X that started days before the memorial service on Feb 24. The statue that some New Yorkers seek to build would involve a pedestal with a protruding branch where Flaco’s sculpture would stand.

He won’t be the first animal to be memoralized with a statue in Central Park. Back in December 1925, Balto, a Siberian husky who led a dog sled with life saving serum from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska became a worldwide celebrity. His life was memorialized in Universal’s 1995 animated film Balto, which remains a popular kids movie to this day.

But it was apparently a lot easier to get things done in the 1920s when a group of New Yorkers eager to honor him raised money and got the city to commission a bronze statue that was unvieled near the East Drive and 67th St. 10 months. It remains a popular attraction.

While Flaco, didn’t do anything heroic, but he did have a following from fans who relished the idea that after spending most of his 14 years in the Central Park Zoo he had managed to survive in the wild for over a year.

He was able to learn to hunt, famously capturing rats in his talons. Flaco’s ability to thrive in the urban environment, resonated deeply with New Yorkers, symbolizing resilience, and against-all-odds survival.

But it is not very likely that Flaco will get a statue, at least not anytime soon, according to the NYC Parks Dept.

“Commemorative sculptures in our public parks are exceedingly rare, and especially so in Central Park,” a Parks Department Official said. “Since Central Park was designated a New York City scenic landmark in 1974, there is an extremely rigorous public review process required before a statue can be installed in the park.”

“PDC (Public Design Commission) says before erecting a statue or monument to any real figure, they prefer to wait 20 years from the passing of that person, or owl, before they would consider something like that,” a Parks Department Official said.

It only took a group of New Yorkers 10 months in 1925 to petition and raise money for Balto to become a statue. “Balto was put in Central Park before we had the policies and the procedures fully in place, so it’s not exactly representative of what would get commemorated in a park these days,” a Parks Department Official added.

But that hasn’t stopped New Yorkers from fighting to have Flaco memorialized as a statue.

“By erecting a statue in honor of Flaco at Central Park, we can commemorate this beloved owl and raise awareness about wildlife conservation,” Jesse McGraw wrote in the petition description. “Please sign this petition if you believe that Flaco deserves recognition for bringing joy into our lives and highlighting important issues related to urban wildlife conservation. Let's give him permanent place in Central Park where he can continue inspiring future generations.”

Commenters shared their support for letting Flaco’s legacy live on by keeping a statue of him. “Flaco lives on in our hearts and a monument to him seems right to me,” one commenter, Gael de Boissard, wrote.

“Flaco was a New Yorker who captures the hearts of so many, his sightings bringing us joy. And, like many of us New Yorkers, he was a survivor. Most importantly, he will be missed by so many,” another commenter, Mary T Nealon, wrote.