14 DAY TRIAL // Franklin Park Zoo in Massachusetts, US, is now home to a cute baby Siberian crane. The young bird belongs to a critically endangered species, hence the fact that conservationists jumped for joy at the news of its birth.
Keepers at Franklin Park Zoo say that the young Siberian crane is the love child of 20-year-old Sneetch and 22-year-old Shakti, and that it emerged from its egg this past May 6.
For the time being, the baby bird is fairly small. However, it is expected that, as an adult, it will stand about 4 feet (about 1.2 meters) tall, Zoo Borns informs.
Besides, caretakers say that, as it matures, its plumage will lose its brownish color and will instead turn white and black, the same source tells us.
According to wildlife researchers, this bird species owes its name to the fact that it breeds in Siberia's high Arctic regions. It is estimated that, for the time being, just 3,000 Siberian cranes are left in the wild.
Hoping to save the species from falling off the biodiversity map sometime in the near future, conservationists are now busy trying to breed these birds in captivity.
“Every successful hatch is important as it helps to hedge against this species’ extinction,” John Linehan, Zoo New England president and CEO, has said in a statement.
Furthermore, “With any new birth or hatch, there is always risk but we are hopeful that this new chick will continue to thrive and will contribute to the survival of its species.”