Wave Wire Services
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Zoo has welcomed a Cape vulture chick, marking the first successful hatching from its new habitat that opened last year, zoo officials have announced.
The chick hatched March 14 and is being cared for behind the scenes until it is strong enough to join the public exhibit, where visitors can currently observe the adult vultures in the Animals of Africa section.
Zoo officials said the birth is a significant milestone for the species, which is classified as vulnerable in the wild.
“Bringing a vulnerable species into the world is always cause for celebration, but this chick is especially meaningful,” Director of Animal Care Dominick Dorsa II said in a statement. “Successful breeding is generally a sign that animals are content and comfortable in their space. The fact that this exhibit is new and was designed to specifically mimic the species’ wild habitat is a testament to the design and construction, as well as the care that these magnificent birds receive.”
The Cape vulture habitat opened in February 2025. Zoo staff said the successful hatching suggests the exhibit is meeting those goals.
“Welcoming a Cape vulture chick is a thrilling moment for our team and a beacon of hope for African vultures,” said Curator of Birds Rose Legato. “We spent years meticulously planning a space that would encourage their natural roosting and nesting behaviors, and this successful hatching proves we hit the mark.”
Cape vultures are native to southern Africa and play a critical role in ecosystems as scavengers, helping prevent the spread of disease by consuming animal carcasses.
They are large birds with a wingspan of up to eight and a half feet. It stands at about three feet tall and weighs 15 to 24 pounds. The scavenger has a sharp, hooked beak designed to tear flesh and large feet to hold down carcasses while eating. Its primarily white feathers have taupe tips at the wing and tail, and its fleshy head is a complementary gray.
As an Old World vulture, the Cape is more closely related to eagles and hawks than to New World vultures like turkey vultures and California condors.
According to zoo officials, the species faces threats from poisoning, habitat loss and other human-related factors.
The Los Angeles Zoo has a long, successful history working with this species and has produced more Cape vulture offspring than any other accredited zoo in the country.
The Los Angeles Zoo is part of a broader conservation effort through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Saving Animals From Extinction program, which aims to protect African vulture populations.
