VICTORIA — Mango the flamingo is as flashy as ever as he gets ready for his 50th birthday this month.

The tall, colourful bird has been living a quiet indoor life as a Victoria tourist attraction since he was seized by border guards after being smuggled from Cuba more than two decades ago.

Mango started his life as a local icon at Crystal Gardens and, for the last 20 years, has been lounging in the pools and among the plants and fauna at the Victoria Butterfly Gardens.

Incredibly, Mango is turning a half-century this month, well beyond the age his species typically reaches, in both the wild and in captivity.

And yes, he’s still very much pretty in pink.

Known for his trumpets, honks and grunts, Mango has developed a special bond with Travis Budgeon, a horticulturalist who has been loo

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