Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

Environment

San Diego Zoo's Condor Egg Hatches

A California condor chick that hatched at the San Diego Zoo over the weekend is doing well, park officials reported today.

The chick is covered in white down feathers and has a light pink, bald head and weighs 250 grams. It's hatching on Saturday was captured live on the park's Condor Cam webcam system.

The parents -- mother Shatash and father Sisquoc -- have been seen the past couple of days cleaning and feeding their chick and keeping it warm.

Advertisement

Condor Cam viewers can catch a glimpse of the unnamed chick when the parents exchange duties or go get something to eat. The chick is expected to fly at around 5 or 6 months old.

The public is encouraged to suggest names for the chick in the Chumash language by using the zoo's Facebook page or via Twitter by Thursday. Handlers will narrow the field and the public will vote on the final name.

The condor population is believed to be at around 390, with half in the wild in California, Arizona and Baja California, according to the zoo.