In 2016, a flamingo flew into a hotel window on the Caribbean island of Curaçao. Veterinarian Odette Doest saved the bird and named him Bob. Today, the 16-year-old flamingo helps educate the public about conservation.
Bob has a foot disease, so he lives at Doest’s sanctuary, a place where animals are protected. Doest brings Bob to schools, where kids can listen to his heartbeat and see him eat.
In the Caribbean, American flamingos live in marshes. Doest teaches students how trash like lost fish nets can harm flamingos. Meeting Bob is unforgettable, she says. “Usually, children are amazed.”