Frankie the flamingo has become an internet sensation after escaping from a wildlife park in Cornwall and making it all the way to the coast of Brittany in France
Frankie the flamingo went missing from a Cornish wildlife sanctuary(Image: Ben Oakes / SWNS)
A runaway flamingo from a Cornish wildlife park has stunned keepers after it was spotted across the Channel – more than 100 miles away in France.
The adventurous bird, named Frankie, escaped from Paradise Park in Hayle earlier this month and has somehow made it all the way to the coast of Brittany. Staff at the sanctuary said they were “amazed” and “relieved” to see the young flamingo looking healthy after her unexpected European adventure.
Frankie, who had her feathers clipped to stop her flying too far, made her daring getaway on Sunday, November 2. The park received reports of her flapping around near Porthtowan, around 13 miles away, before she returned briefly to Hayle that same afternoon.
But just over a week later, the jet-setting flamingo was reportedly spotted in north-west France. Sharing the news on social media, Paradise Park said the bird survived with minor injuries.
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The flamingo was reported missing at the beginning of the month(Image: PA)
They said: “There have been sightings of a flamingo on the coast of Brittany in France. There is a population of Greater Flamingos in Southern France that look very similar to Frankie, but we believe we can see the feathers on her right wing have been clipped.”
The park added that while flamingos can fly such distances, they were still “amazed” she had managed it, and were grateful she appears to be thriving.
A spokesman added: “She has found a wonderful, protected estuary system and should be able to feed. We will update as we know more.
Nick Reynolds, director at Paradise Park, admitted getting Frankie back home might be nearly impossible. He explained: “The reality of getting her back to the UK is very, very slim. We don’t know what we are going to do.”
For now, Mr Reynolds said the team hopes Frankie joins a colony of greater flamingos in south-west France, calling it the “best possible thing at the moment” for their “lovely girl”.