New Chick Welcomed By Andean Condors At National Aviary
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Lianni and Lurch, two Andean Condors at the National Aviary, welcomed a new baby today.
The rare chick hatched Friday morning, according to a spokesperson for the National Aviary. Currently the size of a grapefruit, the baby is being taken care of by its parents in the nesting cave at the aviary's Condor Court habitat.
The aviary says the greyish white chick will stay with them until its full grown, which takes anywhere from six to eight months. After that, it may stay at the National Aviary or head to another accredited zoo.
It's the first Andean Condor to hatch at the aviary since 2007. And it came from the first egg Lianni and Lurch have produced since 2009.
"This is a much celebrated arrival for us and for the species, as Andean Condor populations face many pressures in the wild," says the aviary's executive director, Cheryl Tracy.
The newborn is also the only Andean Condor chick to hatch this year out of all the Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited institutions across North America, according to the aviary.