This little chick is a very big deal.
The video below shows the Dallas Zoo’s new white-backed vulture, the first chick hatched in a U.S. zoo in 19 years, being watched over carefully by her parents. Even more good news: tests on the chick’s feathers determined that it’s female, which is critically important.
That matters so much because there are only 13 white-backed vultures, including this one, in U.S. zoos. (Her hatching increased the number by 8%!) The small population also skews male, so a new female chick offers great potential for successful breeding.
Hatched May 25, she’s growing fast, now weighing nearly 6 pounds. When full-grown, these vultures can weigh 15 pounds, with a wingspan of up to 7 feet.
These endangered birds are native to sub-Saharan Africa. Their numbers have fallen rapidly in recent decades due to the use of carbofuran, a highly toxic pesticide, and diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory drug used in cattle. Vultures are carrion-eaters, and they ingest the toxic drugs in animal carcasses. Populations are down 50% across their ranges, and as much as 90% in western Africa.
Dallas Zoo Bird Curator Sprina Liu and her staff are part of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan for these birds, and will work with the SSP coordinator to determine where the chick will reside after she’s grown.
The chick, while much smaller than her parents, is visible from the viewing area closest to Camp Okapi, on the Gorilla Trail. Congratulations to our bird team for this remarkable achievement!
Great work! It’s such a relief to know that there’s other people out there determined to make a difference. It hurts to know natural environments are being negatively effected by human impact. I know that even individuals can make a difference. I always look forward to the future. Thanks for posting this!