Curraghs Wildlife Park on the Isle of Man is celebrating the arrival of a rare Chilean flamingo chick, marking the first hatchling of its kind at the park in eighteen years.
Kathleen Graham, the park’s manager, expressed the team’s delight at welcoming the newest member of their flamingo family.
While the chick’s gender remains a mystery for now, visitors can already catch a glimpse of the adorable bird alongside its attentive parents.
Classified as “near threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the successful breeding of this Chilean flamingo is a significant win for conservation efforts.
The chick, easily identifiable amongst its pink relatives, still sports its youthful grey plumage, which will gradually transform into the iconic pink hues over the next few years.
Having successfully fledged from its unique nest built on the spider monkey island, the chick is now keeping pace with the adult flamingos.
Park officials highlight the remarkable dedication of both parents in raising their offspring, sharing both incubation duties and the responsibility of feeding their chick.
Both male and female flamingos possess the remarkable ability to produce a nutrient-rich “milky” solution in a pouch within their throats called the crop, providing nourishment to their young.
Kathleen Graham shed light on the dietary distinctions between wild and captive flamingos. In their natural habitat, flamingos filter feed on tiny crustaceans and other microscopic organisms.
However, zoos provide specialized flamingo diets enriched with pigments crucial for maintaining their vibrant pink coloration.
Under human care, these graceful birds can enjoy a lifespan of approximately forty years.