EDMOND, Okla. – A 4-year-old Edmond boy, who suffers from a rare DNA mutation, is being credited with getting one of the zoo’s tropical birds back home.
Triton was born with Pfeiffer Syndrome Type 3, which causes hearing loss, vision loss and severe speech impediments.
Amazingly, his family says he found a way to communicate with some modified sign language.
The boy’s mother, Jessica Muchmore, says she had just gotten home from the doctor’s office when 4-year-old Triton started signing “bird” and pointing.
When she looked in the direction he was pointing, the bird started flying toward them.
After a little coaxing with sweet water, the family was able to get a hold of the bird and bring it inside.
They fed it and gave it more water and noticed that the Rainbow lorikeet had a metal band with “OK 265” on its leg.
After a few phone calls from NewsChannel 4, we learned the bird is an escapee from the Oklahoma City Zoo.
Zoo officials say they don’t know how it flew the coop but say Triton probably saved the tropical bird’s life.
They say it probably wouldn’t have survived in the cooler temperatures much longer.
As a reward, the zoo plans to give Triton a few special treats, along with a free trip to the lorikeet exhibit.
They also invited him to be a part of a special day for disabled children.
Triton’s family says he is getting ready to have his fifth surgery.
Click here for more information on his story.
