WROCLAW, Poland (Reuters) - A rare Palawan Hornbill chick has left its nest and is exploring its outdoor enclosure at Wroclaw Zoo in western Poland, delighting staff and members of the public.
The bird, identifiable by its distinctive beak and black and white plumage, hatched in May 2019 and is the fourth chick to be born in the zoo.
Palawan Hornbills are notoriously difficult to breed, the chairman of the zoo's board, Radoslaw Ratajczak, said, adding that they need to have the right food and the right conditions.
Wroclaw Zoo's six Palawan Hornbills now represent almost 90% of the world's population living in captivity, according to information on its website.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species classifies the birds, native to the island of Palawan in the Philippines, as 'vulnerable'.
(Reporting by Janusz Chmielewski, writing by Louisa Naks and Alan Charlish; Editing by Gareth Jones)
