Rare southern ground hornbill chick goes on public display at Prague Zoo

Visitors to Prague Zoo can now catch a rare glimpse of a southern ground hornbill chick, which is being raised on public display rather than behind the scenes, the zoo has announced. The young bird can be seen in the enclosure near the antelopes.

The chick was initially hand-reared after its father repeatedly destroyed the eggs. Once it was strong enough, keepers gradually reunited it with its parents using a special protected nest box, allowing the family bond to develop while avoiding imprinting on humans.

Breeding southern ground hornbills is considered particularly challenging. Prague Zoo achieved Europe's first successful breeding of the species in 1994 and has since raised 16 chicks. The vulnerable African bird is listed as threatened due to habitat loss, hunting and its slow reproductive rate.