The visit of a rare and respectable tourist has interrupted one of Las Vegas’s most prominent shows.
Bellagio announced in a social media post Tuesday that it had temporarily suspended its fountains to work with state wildlife officials to rescue a yellow-billed loon that had “found peace in Lake Bellagio in Las Vegas.”
According to the National Park Service, the yellow-billed heron is considered a species of international concern and “one of the 10 rarest birds that regularly breed in the continental United States.”
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“We are thrilled to welcome our first-class guests,” Bellagio said in its post.
A spokesperson for MGM Resorts International told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the Bellagio fountain show was initially suspended while officials considered how to proceed. Wildlife officials determined the birds were not bothered and the show was allowed to resume on Tuesday, but a spokesperson later said the show would remain on hold.
The Associated Press sent an email Wednesday to an MGM spokesperson asking for updates on when shows will resume.
The Bellagio Casino in Las Vegas had to temporarily suspend its fountain show after wildlife officials rescued a rare yellow-billed loon from Lake Bellagio. (Matthew Minard/Las Vegas Sun via AP, File)
Concerned birders called the Nevada Department of Wildlife’s Southern Nevada office and asked the agency to intervene, said spokesman Doug Nielsen. Nielsen said the bird likely took shelter from a storm, noting that it’s not unusual for migratory birds to visit the valley.
A rescue operation may be necessary if the bird lingers too long, but for now authorities have decided to move on, realizing the bird needs a more regular food source. He said he plans to monitor the situation with anticipation.
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“We just give them space,” Nielsen said. “Hopefully they’ll say, ‘Hey, I can’t find anything to swim here, so maybe I should go.'”
