Soccer-PETA urges Crystal Palace to retire bald eagle mascot Phoenix足球运动员和动物权益组织PETA敦促水晶宫俱乐部弃用秃鹰吉祥物菲尼克斯。
Oct 21 (Reuters) - Animal rights group PETA has urged Crystal Palace to retire its American bald eagle mascot, Phoenix, saying football stadiums are unsuitable environments that can distress birds and potentially put them and spectators at risk.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Manchester City - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - August 28, 2026 Crystal Palace mascot American Bald Eagle Phoenix is seen outside the stadium before the match Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
Oct 21 (Reuters) - Animal rights group PETA has urged Crystal Palace to retire its American bald eagle mascot, Phoenix, saying football stadiums are unsuitable environments that can distress birds and potentially put them and spectators at risk.
Palace, known as the Eagles since 1973, introduced a live eagle as a matchday mascot in 2010. Phoenix made her official debut in August 2024 at four months old, succeeding long-serving mascot Kayla, who died in 2020.
In a letter to Palace CEO Sharon Lacey, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals cited incidents involving birds at sporting events, including one in which a Charlton Athletic fan was found guilty of attempting to punch Kayla at a 2015 League Cup match.
"A bright stadium filled with boisterous fans is no place for animals. Under such conditions, birds easily become frightened, disoriented, and panicked - placing themselves and others at risk...," PETA wrote.
"When eagles are used for displays and entertainment, they are denied the opportunity to engage in their natural behaviour, resulting in frustration and stress. Wildlife doesn't belong in a football stadium...
"Bald eagles are widely recognised as symbols of freedom. They deserve better than to be used as an entertainment 'prop' to amuse The Eagles' fans.
"PETA urges Crystal Palace FC to protect animals by retiring Phoenix and committing never to use a live animal mascot again."
Palace has not responded to a Reuters request for comment.
PETA said no other UK football club still uses a live animal mascot.
Some other European clubs have used live eagle mascots, including Portuguese side Benfica and Italian club Lazio.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris and Toby Davis)
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足球 - 英超联赛 - 水晶宫对阵曼城 - 英国伦敦塞尔赫斯特公园球场 - 2026年8月28日 水晶宫吉祥物美国秃鹰菲尼克斯在赛前出现在球场外。（图片来自路透社/Peter Cziborra）
10 月 21 日（路透社）——动物权利组织 PETA 敦促水晶宫足球俱乐部放弃其美国秃鹰吉祥物菲尼克斯，称足球场馆是不适合鸟类栖息的环境，可能会使鸟类感到不安，并可能危及鸟类和观众的安全。
自 1973 年以来一直被称为老鹰队的帕拉代斯队于 2010 年引入了一只活鹰作为比赛日吉祥物。菲尼克斯于 2024 年 8 月正式亮相，当时她四个月大，接替了长期担任吉祥物凯拉，凯拉于 2020 年去世。
在致水晶宫首席执行官莎伦·莱西的一封信中，善待动物组织列举了体育赛事中涉及鸟类的事件，其中包括一名查尔顿竞技队的球迷在 2015 年联赛杯比赛中被判试图殴打凯拉的事件。
“灯光明亮、喧闹的体育场并不适合动物生存。在这种情况下，鸟类很容易受到惊吓、迷失方向和惊慌失措，从而危及自身和其他动物的安全……”动物保护组织PETA写道。
“当老鹰被用于表演和娱乐时，它们就被剥夺了展现自然行为的机会，导致沮丧和压力。野生动物不应该出现在足球场上……”
“白头鹰被广泛认为是自由的象征。它们不应该被当作娱乐‘道具’来取悦老鹰队的球迷。”
“善待动物组织敦促水晶宫足球俱乐部保护动物，让吉祥物菲尼克斯退役，并承诺永远不再使用活体动物作为吉祥物。”
皇宫尚未回应路透社的置评请求。
PETA表示，英国其他足球俱乐部均不再使用活体动物作为吉祥物。
其他一些欧洲俱乐部也曾使用活鹰作为吉祥物，包括葡萄牙的本菲卡俱乐部和意大利的拉齐奥俱乐部。
（Pearl Josephine Nazare在班加罗尔报道；Ken Ferris和Toby Davis编辑）
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