Obviously scavenger hunts are still a problem. Give an 18-year-old apparent sociopath an opportunity to (allegedly )really impress his chapter and then this. Sure, the chapter should be in some hot water with the HQ, but this theft sounds like a lone wolf type incident.

My brief bit of research turned up that flamingos go for around $3,000 a piece in the U.S. and require all kinds of permits to own, so this kid could be looking at time to do, huge restitution, etc.

That quote that PIKE is "considering" expulsion.. I hate to criticize how any group handles their internal affairs, but seriously, PIKE should be in damage control mode and expelling this kid is only step 1 of what needs to happen.

According to an article on the New York Daily News' site, the young gentleman who has been arrested and charged in connection with the flamingos' death posted a video on Snapchat in which he "raps" about the incident:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crim...icle-1.1972407

[The NY Daily News is not usually considered one of the very best newspapers in the U.S.A.; however, if the story is accurate the young gentleman is more or less a fool. Why would someone post a "rap" that apparently brags about the incident?]

Because he wants to make the prosecution's job easy. He's a defense attorney's worst nightmare.

I hope he gets completely nailed for this. All in favor of him doing time because he shows no remorse and doesn't even understand that what he did was wrong.

He sounds like a sociopath, in the technical sense.

^ Definitely

Latest from Hattiesburg Zoo (flamingos)
 

HATTIESBURG -- Hattiesburg residents are helping replace two Chilean flamingos from the Hattiesburg Zoo who died last week when one of the birds was taken during a fraternity scavenger hunt.
Rick Taylor, executive director of the Hattiesburg Convention and Tourism Commission, tells WDAM-TV some people have already made substantial donations to buy new birds to replace the male and female who died as a result of the incident.
A student at Southern Miss allegedly took one of the female flamingos. It was later found injured outside the zoo and had to be euthanized. A male flamingo, apparently injured in the same incident, also died. Devin Nottis, 19, of Pascagoula, faces charges of grand larceny and animal cruelty in the theft.
Taylor said the zoo is not officially soliciting donations, but is accepting them. He said the money will help replace the lost flamingos and build up the flock.
"We started with 22 flamingos, four of which were female," Taylor said. "We lost one of the females in this incident last week. But, you really need a minimum of 20 birds for them to want to nest and begin to breed and reproduce. And we're below that number, so we do need to acquire a few more to get that number back up."
Taylor said two other flamingos died earlier of natural causes. He also said the zoo has already taken steps to improve security at the 2-year-old exhibit, including adding new cameras. He said new fencing will also be coming soon.

I wish Flamingos were more like Pandas. The male panda Gu-Gu at the Beijing (Peking) zoo has attacked (and sent to the Hospital) men in three incidents that have broken into its enclosure. Given that the Panda has never attacked its keepers, the zoo has no interest in replacing the Panda (and sending this one to a breeding facility).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gu_Gu

What a cretin. Hope he gets some jail time for this. Has he been expelled from school/ PIKE yet?

Greek life aside, I've worked at a zoo for 3 summers and it REALLY angers me to see the lack of respect some people have. I can only imagine how distraught the zoo staff must be. He caused the deaths of two animals, he better suffer some serious consequences.

Update: Grand Jury Indictment

http://www.sunherald.com/2015/04/03/...y-indicts.html