Gladys, the large owl that escaped the Minnesota Zoo, dies after being found injured

Gladys, the Eurasian eagle-owl that flew off from her Minnesota Zoo handlers during a training sessions, has died.

She was found injured on the side of a road by a "concerned neighbor," the zoo said Thursday morning.

"Our veterinary team responded immediately but, sadly, Gladys had already died," the Minnesota Zoo continued.

Gladys escaped the zoo on Oct. 1, and for a while, zoo staff managed to track her through various trees on the property. But late last week, sightings became more sporadic.

On Tuesday, the zoo asked neighbors to keep an eye out for Gladys — who has ear tufts similar to the native great horned owl, but is larger, has a longer wingspan and pumpkin-orange eyes.

One resident posted a photo to Facebook, showing an owl that appeared to be Gladys, perched on a roof with either a cat or a large rabbit in its grasp.

Zach Nugent, a communication and media relations specialist with the Minnesota Zoo, told Bring Me The News they don't know the cause of Gladys' fatal injuries. The veterinary team will work to make a determination.

"It’s a sad day at the Minnesota Zoo," he said.

Gladys served as an animal ambassador at the Minnesota Zoo for the past five years, and had been hand-raised by the zoo's Animal Care team.

"This is a difficult day for our team," the zoo said in its update.