Wild Inside

I wasn't very interested in any of the new releases this weekend so I spent my Friday night at the Broadway watching a documentary about an owl (as one does).  I really enjoyed Wild Inside because it is both heartwarming and thought-provoking.  Flaco, a male Eurasian eagle-owl, was bred in captivity and spent 13 years in a small enclosure inside the Central Park Zoo before escaping.  When he is discovered in and around Central Park, he captures the attention and imagination of New Yorkers, especially a group of birdwatchers who document his actions and movements online (and provide many of the photos and video footage used in this documentary).  At first, the public is concerned that Flaco will not be able to survive in the wild and advocate for his immediate capture and return to the zoo.  However, Flaco's natural instincts kick in and he eventually improves his ability to fly with practice and develops the ability to hunt on his own.  The public then decides that he should remain free and the staff at the Central Park Zoo stop trying to capture him.  Sentiments shift once again when Flaco meets an untimely end after he is weakened by rodenticides used to control the city's rat population and many point out that he would have lived a much longer life inside the zoo.  Flaco is definitely anthropomorphized but, like many interviewed for this documentary, I also couldn't help but ascribe human characteristics to him, such as choice, resilience, and curiosity, and this made me root for him to succeed.  The photos and footage are adorable and I especially loved his big orange eyes and the way he looked into windows to watch people (much like he was watched in the zoo).  I also learned a lot about Eurasian eagle-owls and about owls in general (they are surprisingly fascinating).  Finally, I really appreciated the discussion about the best way for animals to interact with humans and urban environments even if there are no easy answers.  Penny Lane, the director, has an obvious opinion about zoos and keeping animals in captivity but she does interview people who advocate for their necessity in order to keep them safe and to stave off extinction of endangered species.  I think this is a documentary that will resonate with many people and I highly recommend it.