Five chicks of the endangered African secretarybird have hatched at Chester Zoo. This marks the first time the long-legged species has bred at the zoo in its 95-year history.
Secretarybirds are African birds of prey that primarily hunt on foot in grasslands, known for their ability to kill venomous snakes by stamping on them. The species has been classified as endangered since 2020 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Chester Zoo stated that techniques developed by its keepers could assist other European zoos in breeding more of the species. The zoo is part of a European breeding programme for secretarybirds, which includes 79 birds. Only three other chicks had hatched elsewhere in the programme during the previous 12 months.
Keepers spent years studying the courtship and breeding conditions required for the chicks' parents, John and Jolene, who arrived at the zoo a few years ago. The zoo initially hand-raised the first chicks to record their development before John and Jolene hatched and reared three more themselves.
According to the zoo, secretarybirds have disappeared from some parts of Africa due to farming and urban development reducing their grassland habitat and prey. Keepers plan to share their observations with other conservation zoos to aid further breeding efforts.