Vulture escapes from the Dallas Zoo

DALLAS, Jan. 29 (UPI) -- The Dallas Zoo saw a Houdini like escape last weekend when a female vulture squeezed under a door in order to find freedom.

Zoo officials said that the bird is not dangerous and a search is underway in the Dallas, Texas, area, the Dallas Morning News reported. "It's no threat to children, people or pets," said Dallas Zoo spokeswoman Susan Eckert. "It's a vulture, and it only eats dead things."

The African white-back vulture escaped from its pen at about 9 a.m. on Sunday Morning, said zoo officials.

Chris Brown, the zoo's curator of birds, said he believes that the female vulture squeezed through the bottom of a closed door into an uncovered holding pen.

The bird is distinguishable due to its extra long neck. It has a typical black face, black beak and brownish-grayish body. Its wingspan ranges from 4 feet to 5 feet.