Zoo Hatches Endangered Secretary Bird Chicks

Although secretary birds are native to Africa, zoos around the world have been working towards breeding them in captivity for quite some time now.

The reasons are the same as for many other animal species: their population is rapidly declining, particularly as a result of human activities.

As paradoxical as it might seem, Europeans and people living in developed countries were only introduced to secretary birds back in the 19th century, yet somehow managed to impact on their lives in this very short time-span.

The two chicks that recently greeted San Diego zoo employees will soon grow to be around 1.2 meters (about 4 feet) tall.

As one can imagine, this means that, rather than flying, they will be spending most of their time on the ground, looking for various things to eat.

Presently, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature is making continuous efforts to rescue these birds.