Longleat Safari Park welcome rare bird of prey chick
The baby Secretary bird hatched two weeks ago.
A rare bird of prey chick has safely arrived at Wiltshire's Longleat safari park.
A baby secretary bird is building its strength after hatching two weeks ago.
Found across Sub-Saharan Africa, the specie's Latin name is Sagittarius Serpentarius, literally ‘the archer of snakes’. This is due to its prowess at hunting snakes and other reptiles.
These giant birds can reach up to 1.3m in height and have a two-metre-wingspan. They use their long legs, the longest of any bird of prey, to stamp on prey exerting a force up to six times their bodyweight in just 15 milliseconds.
Leader keeper lakes and birds Matt Hardy said: “It is exciting to have a successful hatch of an endangered species that will hopefully be able to move on to another collection and create a new breeding programme in the future.
“We are providing extra smaller food items for the parents to give to the chick and as secretary birds can be very protective of their nests and chicks, we are ensuring they have as much space and peace and quiet as possible,” he added.
It's a second chick for parents Janine and Kevin, who's been together since 2018 and will mate for life. The species are classed as endangered in the wild due to lost habitats and hunting.