Two of the State’s favourite feathered friends made a comeback earlier this month with the South Australian Museum unveiling a new exhibit featuring Adelaide Zoo’s iconic pink flamingo pair.
Director of the South Australian Museum, Brian Oldman said the flamboyant duo, Chile and Greater, had delighted Zoo visitors for a combined total of 135 years and would be immortalised in the Museum’s World Mammals Gallery using a new taxidermy process to ensure the longevity of the beautiful old birds.
Mr Oldman said Chile and Greater (pictured) made their public debut earlier this month at the Museum’s after-hours event Night Lab: Birds of a Feather Frock Together as part of Feast Festival 2021.
Director of Adelaide Zoo, Phil Ainsley said Greater, named after his species Greater Flamingo, came to the Adelaide Zoo in the 1930s, and was believed to be the oldest flamingo in captivity in the world before he died at age 83.
Dr Ainsley said Greater spent much of his life with Chile, a female Chilean Flamingo which passed away in 2018 as Australia’s last flamingo.
“Following their deaths, Adelaide Zoo donated Chile and Greater to the Museum for generations to enjoy and to teach visitors about sustainability, biodiversity and taxidermy,” Dr Ainsley said.
“Current biosecurity rules mean we can’t import flamingoes anymore so for some visitors this could be the only chance to ever get up close to these birds,” he said.
Keeper at Adelaide Zoo, Emma Crittle, who spent a lot of time with Greater and Chile, reflected on her time with quirky duo.
“It was like putting the kids to bed,” Ms Crittle said.
“They were so charismatic and such a funny duo that I truly cherished every moment I got to spend with them,” she said.
