Critically endangered Andean Condor chick hatches at National Aviary
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A bird that's critically endangered in Ecuador hatched at the National Aviary.
Lianni, the aviary's 38-year-old Andean Condor, laid the egg on April 5 and it hatched on June 7. The chick is only one of three Andean Condors to hatch in North American zoos in the past year, the aviary said.
When an Andean Condor chick hatches, it's about the size of a mango, weighing around one-half pound. The aviary said Andean Condors are some of the largest birds in the world and can grow to have a wingspan of over 10 feet, weighing over 30 pounds. It'll take about six months for the chick to reach its full size.
Andean Condors face several pressures in the wild that have led to population declines in recent decades, the aviary said. The birds only produce one egg every 12 to 18 months, which is an added conservation challenge.
The aviary said Lianni is now caring for the chick in the Andean Condor habitat's nesting cave.