Thai zoo breeds endangered vultures hoping to see them soar again
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Loading... - Adam Harris
- 25 Apr 2023
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The pinkish chick, covered in white fuzz that will turn into black feathers as it grows, is the first red-headed, or Asian king vulture, to be bred in Asia and only the second in the world.
Watchiradol and his colleagues at the Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo in northeast Thailand want to ensure any hatchling bred in captivity does not imprint on humans so they will be better prepared for eventual release into the wild.
"It's necessary ... to disguise ourselves as a bird, thereby leading them to see us as closest to what their parents would look like," Watchiradol said, adding that it's the best chance to develop the bird's natural instincts.
He feeds it rabbit, deer, chicken and rat meat to simulate its diet in the wild. After feeding, the chick warms up in the sun for the vitamin D it needs for its physical and behavioural development, Watchiradol said.
"Is there enough nutrition in its food? Or is it receiving too much? At every moment, worries will persist," he said.
As a scavenger, the red-headed vulture used to play a crucial role in the ecosystem by consuming animal carcasses. However, hunting and changes to its habitat mean the species is extinct in the wild in Thailand and is significantly diminished globally. Read More…
