Fly High, Sweet Max: Amarillo Zoo Mourns The Loss Of A Beloved Parrot

The Amarillo Zoo has had a lot of changes since the Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center took over and made it the Amarillo Zoo and Sanctuary. We have been a couple of times since they reopened.

On our first trip back, we noticed several changes. My favorite has to be the fact that they have a gift shop now. My granddaughter can't visit without stopping by to pick up a new stuffed animal friend. We just hope next time she goes, they have bobcats or cheetahs. Laila would be in heaven.
Read More: WWRC Brings Big Changes To The Amarillo Zoo

Another change is that the Education Center is open. It hadn't been any previous time I had gone under previous owners. So I was excited to go inside and get out of the heat.

The first thing we noticed was the prairie dogs. Then we noticed the display of hundreds of roaches. Yes, that gave me the heebie-jeebies. Then we walked through and checked out all of the animals.

A Sudden Goodbye: Remembering Max the Parrot

So the news was sad when we saw the latest news from the Amarillo Zoo and Sanctuary. The news that one of the parrots inside, Max, has passed away.

It is with very sad hearts that we share that Max the Eclectus Parrot has passed away.

Max was absolutely one of the sweetest parrots at Amarillo Zoo & Sanctuary and was loved deeply by both our team and visitors.
In the morning, he had eaten his breakfast and seemed completely normal. A short time later, he was found hanging upside down on his perch, which was very abnormal behavior for him, and he was immediately rushed to the veterinarian. Sadly, shortly after arriving, Max passed away.

X-rays revealed that Max had an enlarged heart, pulmonary edema, and severe osteoarthritis. Based on his condition, it is believed he likely suffered a stroke.

The Reality of Caring for Senior Zoo Animals

Max was perfectly fine the day we visited. That was just last week. Unfortunately, the folks at the Amarillo Zoo and Sanctuary know this is just part of owning a zoo.

One of the hardest parts of caring for animals is that sometimes there are no warning signs. In the days leading up to this, Max was acting like his normal sweet self with no indication that anything was wrong.

When we took over operations at the zoo, we knew many of the animals here were seniors, and with that comes the reality that these moments will happen. It never makes it easier.

Max will be greatly missed by our current team, the teams before us who cared for him over the years, and the countless visitors who stopped to say hello to him during their visits.

Honoring a Zoo Favorite: "Fly High, Sweet Max"

Trips to the zoo will seem a little quieter now that Max is gone. As the Amarillo Zoo and Sanctuary said it best, "Fly high, sweet Max."

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Even More Stanley Marsh Signs

Every time I turn around I find more and more of these signs around Amarillo.

Gallery Credit: Melissa Bartlett/TSM