I was greeted in the parking lot this morning by a very excited member of the bird department, who insisted I come to meet the cutest hatchling there ever was. I of course agreed(I also may have jumped up and down with joy) and followed him and another keeper to the incubation room. They opened the incubator, the little fluffy critically endangered chick sat there looking bright, alert and ready to take on the world. One of the bird keepers remarked that it definitely rivaled a baby Red panda in cuteness, and quite honestly I had to agree. They eagerly showed me the egg the chick hatched out of, and how perfectly the little one chipped its way out of the shell. I am always so grateful to share in moments like these, the fact that this little guy’s species is even still existing is due in part to our bird department’s deterimenation and hard work. They are proud parents and as they should be!
Attwater’s prairie chicken is barely hanging on in a few small protected remnants of its native habitat. In addition to captive breeding, the future of this seriously threatened bird will rest not only with the United States government, state agencies, and zoological institutions that have taken up its cause, but also with the people of Texas. Land owned and protected by private citizens will very likely become the final stronghold for this native species.
I do realize that this is an amazing perk of working at the Houston Zoo, but there should be some sort of App created that could kick start everyones morning with a viewing of a critically endangered species baby like I got today!
