The Knoxville Zoo in the U.S. has reported the sad news: at the age of 38, the famous African grey parrot Einstein, who captivated the world with her outstanding talent for mimicry, has passed away.
Hatched in California in 1987 and arriving in Knoxville in 1992, the bird became a true star thanks to her participation in the Pet Star television show on Animal Planet and her performance at the TED conference in 2006, where she even sang "Happy Birthday" to then-Vice President Al Gore, who was in the audience.
The parrot had a repertoire of over 200 words and sounds, 80 of which she could reproduce on command. In 2023, the bird was diagnosed with a tumor on the syrinx — the vocal organ of birds. For three years, the tumor did not progress, but recently her condition worsened, and treatment became impossible.
African grey parrots are considered some of the most intelligent animals on Earth: their cognitive abilities are compared to those of five-year-old children. However, it was Einstein who managed to turn this gift into a mission — through her charisma, she drew attention to the issue of the species' extinction in the wild. At the zoo, she was referred to not just as an ambassador but as a family member. Her legacy is millions of people who now know and appreciate these amazing birds.
