LA Zoo welcomes first Cape vulture chick since opening new habitat

The Los Angeles Zoo welcomed a Cape vulture chick that hatched last month, zoo officials announced Thursday.

The chick — hatched on March 14 — marks the first breeding success since the zoo opened its Cape vulture habitat in February of last year, according to the zoo. The habitat gives the public a chance to get a closer look at the birds’ behaviors and social interactions for the first time in many years.

“Bringing a vulnerable species into the world is always a cause for celebration, but this chick is especially meaningful,” Dominick Dorsa II, director of animal care at the LA Zoo, said in part of a statement. “Successful breeding is generally a sign that animals are content and comfortable in their space.”

Native to southern Africa, Cape vultures can have wingspans up to 8.5 feet and are typically 3 feet tall and around 20 pounds.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists Cape vultures as “vulnerable,” with the zoo saying the species remains threatened by human activities, such as hunting, habitat fragmentation and climate change.

According to the zoo, the chick will be supervised by the zoo’s animal care team and will stay behind the scenes until it can be safely introduced to the exhibit in the Animals of Africa section. Until then, guests can view the adults.