Ohio -- A rare Kori Bustard chick has been hatched at a Toledo Zoo center dedicated to breeding rare and endangered birds. The zoo on Wednesday said the male chick weighed 3.5 ounces when animal care staff assisted its hatching June 27.
Kori Bustards are large birds native to Africa. Adult males weigh up to 40 pounds and females weigh about 15 pounds. Zoo officials say the birds are not endangered. But habitat loss, illegal hunting and low reproduction rates have led to their decline.
Zoo staff members are hand-rearing the chick and exhibition plans are not final. The chick's parents are on exhibit. A biologist with the National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., says the chick is one of fewer than five hatched this year at U.S. zoos.