More and more European zoos are building huge flamingo aviaries that allow the birds to stretch their wings and use the space for flying. It's astonishing at how few zoos in North America have the same policy, with flamingos all being clipped and in lagoons near zoo entrances. Very few North American zoos have flamingos in aviaries...
My understanding is that it isn’t about allowing flight, it’s more about the ethics of pinioning and the negative impacts the practice can have. There could also be issues around predation - as an example Korkeasaari lost its open air flamingos to foxes - and disease prevention.
Of course some zoos - notably Basel - keep flamingos with intact wings in open enclosures with landscaping preventing take off.
If it isn't about allowing flight then how can they 'use the space for flying' - this contradictory.
If the roof net is nylon (which is normal for such a large space) this will be no deterrent whatsoever to foxes, and wild birds such as sparrows will not be excluded, so disease will not be excluded either. It is possible (given the huge cost of 1,600,000 Euros that the roof is stainless steel of course. Exactly what negative impacts are the result of pinioning?.
