Injured Flamingo at Las Vegas Resort Expected to Recover

Veterinarian says the 27-year-old flamingo named Peachy suffered wing injuries but is now back at the Flamingo's Wildlife Habitat.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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A flamingo that was allegedly injured by a tourist at the Flamingo hotel-casino in Las Vegas is expected to make a full recovery, according to its veterinarian. The 27-year-old flamingo named Peachy suffered wing injuries after the tourist, Mitchell G. Fairbarn, was accused of illegally entering the resort's flamingo habitat, taking the bird to his hotel room, and torturing him. Fairbarn faces animal cruelty charges, and the flamingo is now back at the Flamingo's Wildlife Habitat under close monitoring.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the ongoing challenges of protecting wildlife habitats, even in highly trafficked tourist destinations like the Las Vegas Strip. The Flamingo's Wildlife Habitat has faced previous incidents of bird mistreatment, raising concerns about visitor behavior and the need for stronger safety measures to protect the animals.

The details

According to the veterinarian, Peachy the flamingo suffered injuries to his wings during the alleged incident. Police accused Fairbarn, a 33-year-old tourist from Ontario, Canada, of illegally entering the flamingo habitat, taking Peachy to his hotel room, and torturing the bird. Fairbarn's cellphone reportedly contained photos and videos of him choking and throwing the flamingo to the floor while laughing. Fairbarn faces four counts of felony willful or malicious torture, maiming, or mutilation of an animal.

  • On Wednesday, March 3, 2026, the alleged incident occurred at the Flamingo hotel-casino.
  • On Monday, March 9, 2026, Fairbarn is scheduled for an initial appearance in Las Vegas Justice Court.

The players

Peachy

A 27-year-old flamingo that was injured in the alleged incident at the Flamingo hotel-casino.

Mitchell G. Fairbarn

A 33-year-old tourist from Ontario, Canada, who was charged with four counts of felony willful or malicious torture, maiming, or mutilation of an animal for the alleged incident involving the flamingo.

Tiffany Moore

The medical director at Lone Mountain Animal Hospital who treated the injured flamingo and said it is expected to make a full recovery.

Justin Teixeira

A former University of California, Berkeley law student who was sentenced to probation and a regimental discipline program in 2012 for beheading a guinea fowl at the Flamingo's wildlife habitat.

Flamingo hotel-casino

The Las Vegas resort that operates a wildlife habitat featuring flamingos and other exotic birds.

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What they’re saying

“He's stable and alert right now, and just getting back into his normal routine. We're still closely monitoring him to make sure we don't see any changes, but we're hopeful that he should make a full recovery.”

— Tiffany Moore, Medical Director, Lone Mountain Animal Hospital (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

“We're grateful that he survived and that authorities were able to intervene before things got more severe. There are secondary illnesses we worry about when it comes to capturing an animal that's not used to be handled frequently. We were more frightened about those things, originally. He should be able to continue a normal life.”

— Tiffany Moore, Medical Director, Lone Mountain Animal Hospital (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Monday whether or not to allow Mitchell G. Fairbarn out on bail.

The takeaway

This incident underscores the need for stronger protections and visitor education around wildlife habitats, even in highly trafficked tourist destinations like the Las Vegas Strip. The Flamingo's Wildlife Habitat has faced previous issues, and this latest case highlights the vulnerability of the animals and the importance of swift intervention to prevent further harm.