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St. Pete’s Sunken Gardens Are in the Pink

Flamingos | Birds | WIldlife

The botanical attraction welcomed 20 new flamingos Wednesday (April 20).

ST. PETERSBURG – Flamingos George and Lucy have been empty nesters in recent years at Sunken Gardens, a historic botanical attraction in the beautiful city of St. Petersburg.

The two flamingos were once part of 17 flamingos who made their home at the Gardens, one of Florida’s original roadside attractions. The two now have new feathered friends.

After more than three years of fundraising efforts by supportive citizens, Sunken Gardens on Wednesday (April 20) welcomed home a new flock of 20 young Chilean flamingos. St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman is scheduled to officially welcome them to the city around lunchtime today (April 21).

“It has been quite the journey to get our new flamingos, and we couldn’t have done it without the commitment and enthusiasm of the community,” said gardens supervisor Bill O’Grady. He traveled to meet the birds before their journey to St. Petersburg and will monitor them closely the first few weeks in their new home.

Raising funds was only the first step in getting the precious pink birds to their new home in one of Florida’s most beautiful botanical gardens. In late 2015, the city funded a new night time enclosure to house the birds, and then this year, it received a commitment to purchase the birds from their breeder. The city underwent a rigorous adoption process, which included several required letters of recommendation and documentation of adequate living conditions.

The pink birds will be officially welcomed at a Flamingo Festival, planned for noon to 4 p.m. May 1.

For information about Sunken Gardens, go to stpete.org.

Photograph is from TB Reporter files.

St. Petersburg | Sunken Gardens | Rick Kriseman | Flamingos | TB Reporter

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