Mickey the cockatoo has become somewhat of a celebrity around Campbelltown, Sydney, due to his antics over the last four weeks of being trapped inside a Coles supermarket and shopping complex.
You ever see a picture or video of an animal doing cool animal stuff and think “I wish that was me”?
Well that’s how I feel about Mickey, the cockatoo who has been living inside a Sydney Coles for four weeks living on stolen food.
It is believed that Mickey flew in through the loading dock of a Coles in Campbelltown’s Macarthur Square, and has remained inside for almost a month surviving on a diet of whatever he wants from Coles.
Shoppers at the centre have become accustomed to the bird living in the building, footage of him has gone viral on Facebook, and managers of the Coles he is trapped in are reportedly “very fond of the bird”.
Alas, Mickey is still trapped in an unnatural environment, and wildlife experts fear for his health and safety — even if he is eating “really well”.
“The poor bird hasn’t had any dark for over four weeks and has been living on brioche and water,” a member of the Sydney Metropolitan Wildlife Services wrote to Facebook.
In a post made on Tuesday morning, the members explained how yet another “exhausting” attempt to save Mickey had been unsuccessful, however he has now left the Coles and is instead flying around the Macarthur Square shopping complex.
“Two traps left but with so much food in the store, who knows if that will work. Hopefully, we exhausted him so much he will come down to a trap for water,” read the post.
After fears that a “kill order” had been put out against the cockatoo, NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe appeared on 2GB radio to assure fans that “Mickey will be freed”.
“Mickey the cockatoo is not going to be shot,” reassured the minister.
“I have directed the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to find out how we can help Mickey and the team at Coles.”
Sharpe’s office confirmed that no “kill order” was ever put out by the government or Coles were entirely false, and had been spread online.
In their plans to help coax Mickey the cockatoo from the Coles, another plan was employed on Tuesday morning. Attempting to lure Mickey out and show him that he was safe, another cockatoo — named Old Lady Doris — was brought to the supermarket to reassure the trapped bird.
Though it looked like it might work at first, director of the Feather Friends bird rescue team Ravi Wasan informed the public that Mickey was spooked by all the commotion.
“We got so so close, and then they opened the emergency doors and it spooked him,” Wasan said, per Guardian.
“He just needs to chill out, relax and come down without thinking that people are going to try and catch him.
“The exits where the cockatoo would go out are also the exits for patrons, so he just has to realise that the patrons … aren’t terrifying, which is obviously challenging when he sees everyone as a potential threat.”
On Tuesday afternoon, the office for Penny Sharpe announced that Mickey had been captured and would be returned to the wild.
“I’m delighted to let you know that Mickey the cockatoo has been safely captured by wildlife rescuers after spending way too long in Macarthur Square,” read a press release.
“Mickey is being assessed by experts. We hope Mickey will be flying free by tomorrow.”
Fly high and be safe, sweet prince.
Lead Image: Facebook.
The post The Cockatoo Who Lived In A Sydney Coles For 4 Weeks Feasting On Brioche & Is Finally Free appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
