FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

For more information, contact:
John Chapo
President/CEO, Lincoln Children’s Zoo
402.475.6741 x125
jchapo@lincolnzoo.org

Eggciting Things Hatching at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo

LINCOLN, Neb. (July 19, 2010) – The Lincoln Children’s Zoo announced the hatching of two rare birds at the Zoo. Two East African crowned cranes hatched on Thursday, July 15. This was the first birth for the two parents, Naivasha (Na-Vash-A), the mother and Nukuru (Na-KU-Roo), the father. The proud parents arrived at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo in the spring of 2007. You can tell the couple apart because Naivasha has additional red markings on her cheeks.

There are only 200 East African crowned cranes residing in zoos across North America. In 2009, only nine chicks were born to this species.

The chicks are six inches tall, with nearly four inch long legs, and have yellow, fluffy feathers. A day after the chicks hatched, they began following their parents around the exhibit. Within a year, they will grow to be roughly three-feet tall.

Both parents have taken an active role in caring for the chicks. Unlike most species, cranes share the role in sitting on the nest, keeping the eggs at a constant 98 degree temperature.

Crowned cranes are named for the striking, straw colored bristle-like feathers on the top of their heads that has a crown-like appearance. The birds are mostly slate gray with white upper and under wing coverts and a black head. Their legs and bill are black, eyes are light grey, and their facial skin is white and red.

In the wild, these animals are found in the marshes, cultivated lands and grassy flatlands near rivers and lakes in eastern Congo, Uganda, and Kenya to central Tanzania.

The Lincoln Children’s Zoo was established 45 years ago. One of only four children’s zoos in the country, the Lincoln Children’s Zoo’s mission is “to enrich lives through firsthand interaction with living things.” The Zoo continues to create an engaging environment for children in our community, while receiving no financial support from the city, county or the state. For more information on membership, weekly events, parties and giving opportunities, visit www.lincolnzoo.org.

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