Vulture that escaped from zoo found safe

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Just as they may have started to lose hope, staff at the Jacksonville Zoo received an encouraging email this afternoon.

Attached to that email was a photo someone snapped of an exotic bird lounging in a central Florida park.

After much research and scrutiny, animal experts learned it was an African vulture -- the same one that escaped from the zoo in November.

Its name is Hodari.

Zoo employees said they're relieved to know it's been able to survive.

Unfortunately, they said Hodari and his mate at the Zoo were not crazy about each other, so convincing him to come home may be a challenge.