Crystal Palace urged to retire bald eagle mascot

Animal rights organization PETA is calling on Crystal Palace to immediately retire its live bald eagle mascot, Phoenix, from pre-match displays at the team's stadium in Selhurst Park. The group argues that the bright stadium and raucous fans are an unsuitable environment for an animal like a bald eagle, who can become frightened, disoriented, and panicked in such settings.

PETA asserts that using live animals as mascots denies them the opportunity to express their natural instincts, causing frustration and stress. The group also cites numerous incidents involving live mascots being injured or killed due to collisions with stadium elements or interacting with spectators. PETA has proposed using only willing human mascots, noting that Crystal Palace already has a human eagle named Pete to excite fans.

The organization contends that bald eagles, known as symbols of freedom, deserve better than to be used for entertainment purposes. Crystal Palace, known as the Eagles since 1973, began incorporating a live eagle into matchdays in 2010. The team's current mascot, Phoenix, performed the role for 10 years before her passing in 2020, followed by the introduction of her replacement, Phoenix.