Purloined Parrot Repatriated to Zoo

COURT HOUSE – Brutus, an African grey parrot from the Cape May County Zoo, has had a busy week. On Nov. 9, sometime between his breakfast and afternoon feeding, someone took Brutus from his cage and left the zoo with him.
On the evening of Nov. 10, Brutus was noticed walking on Dennisville Road. He bit two officers who tried to pick him up, but in the end he was reunited with keepers at the zoo and returned to his cage. Anyone visiting him will find him well and enjoying being back, but his cage now sports large padlocks.
Brutus’ story with the zoo began in 1997 when a Sea Isle City family that had tried to keep him as a pet donated him. One thing certain about Brutus is that he will be no one’s pet.
To put it bluntly, Brutus is ornery, ill tempered, and can be aggressive; he’s “a real character,” as one zoo official described him. Meet him on his terms and Brutus can be entertaining. Expect him to play the role of cuddly pet and you are in for a tough time.
The family that owned Brutus before donating him to the zoo parted with the parrot because of his aggressive behavior. As Senior Bird Keeper Jeanine Moore said, “He doesn’t like to be touched.”
Moore explained that Brutus’ first home at the zoo was in the main office. Again someone mistook Brutus for a pet. With his personality once more put on display, Brutus was removed from the office and integrated into the avian exhibit. There, he has thrived.
Brutus dictates the terms of any relationship. He started out attached to Moore, but his affections shifted for reasons only he knows. His current favorite is a male keeper who has no duties related to the birds but who has the ability to whistle well. It was this new best friend, Moore, and parks Director Edward Runyon who converged on Middle Township Police Headquarters Nov. 10 to retrieve the parrot, bringing almonds for a little immediate treat.
That Brutus was taken is not in doubt. Even though his cage did not at the time have padlocks, it did have latches that Brutus himself could not have opened. All doors to the cage were found closed. The cage is also behind a fence that Brutus could not climb and in a foyer with heavy doors to the outside world.
In addition, Brutus has one lightly-clipped wing and would not have been capable of flying any distance. This is especially true since Brutus, according to Moore, “has never been a good flyer.”
The panic on noticing his disappearance had the entire zoo staff involved in finding him on the grounds or in the surrounding area. Brutus was taken and probably by someone who once again made the mistake of thinking he would be a good pet. Such is not in the character of this parrot.
There are two theories surrounding his obvious abandonment and release by whoever took him. The first involved the tremendous amount of publicity that exploded around his disappearance. “We had him on Facebook and all the media coverage was intense,” Moore stated. “It is possible that someone just got scared and wanted to get rid of him.” The other theory has a ring of truth to it when you consider Brutus’ history. Whoever took the parrot most likely soon discovered Brutus’ ornery nature. Moore even suggested looking for a suspect bandaged from parrot bites.
Moore and others are greatly relieved that Brutus is home and in good health. Luckily he was not gone long and the weather was relatively mild. Brutus is usually kept in a humid environment set at 70 to 72 degrees. Moore says they are hearty birds but prolonged exposure to the wrong climate would have started to take a toll.
Certainly security has been increased. The padlocks would not be easy to defeat especially since Brutus has taken to trying to bite when someone tries to manipulate them.
Cameras are in the future. The zoo has just completed the first year of a four-year project to place cameras throughout the zoo facility. Moore says one will be placed in the foyer that Brutus calls home.
Brutus has a limited vocabulary although he will say hello and even ask if you want a beer. Moore pointed out that these parrots are very smart and that Brutus probably will never forget who took him. As the investigation continues, the Sherriff’s Office may find their best witness is a cantankerous parrot.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.