1st-ever hatching of endangered kagu chick at Bird Paradise marks 1 of few in the world

Bird Paradise recently celebrated a new addition to its avian family.

The newly hatched kagu chick is considered a historic milestone for the park, as the species is notoriously difficult to breed under human care.

The kagu is a large, flightless bird native to New Caledonia, a group of islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean.

It is characterised by bluish-grey plumage, bright orange legs and beak, and a striking crest used in courtship and territorial displays.

They are monogamous and have a low reproductive rate, typically producing only one chick a year.

Mandai Wildlife Group is now among the few zoological institutions worldwide to have successfully bred this endangered species.

Artificial incubation

The kagu chick hatched on Mar. 1 after 25 days of artificial incubation.

Its parents, a genetically matched pair from Yokohama Zoo, arrived at Bird Paradise in 2023.

In 2024, the pair laid two eggs in separate nesting attempts. However, both failed to hatch, either due to environmental factors or parental inexperience.

As such, animal care staff took over and transferred the third egg to a hatcher to maximise its chances of survival.

The team carefully controlled the temperature and humidity of the environment to replicate the kagus' natural nesting conditions, Anaïs Tritto, Assistant Vice President of Animal Care at Mandai Wildlife Group said.

After the chick hatched, keepers provided it with a cardboard box for it to hide in, as kagus are shy birds, as well as a kiwi plush toy to offer comfort and simulate the presence of its parents.

The chick has since grown from 36g upon hatching, to a healthy 630g. Adults typically weigh around 1kg.

It is also transitioning to an adult diet of prawns, mice and live insects.

Once the chick has gained independence later this year, it will be introduced to an aviary at Winged Sanctuary, where it can continue to grow and adapt to its surroundings.

Vote for a name

There are only an estimated 500 to 1,000 kagus left in the wild.

The kagu is threatened by habitat loss and predation from introduced species like cats and dogs.

This makes "every successful hatch under managed care a critical step in securing the species' future," Mandai Wildlife Group said in a press release.

To celebrate the chick's hatching, Mandai is inviting the public to help name the chick.

The public can vote between three names on the organisation's social media platforms:

• Kiara, meaning “bright”,
• Kenza, meaning “treasure”, or
• Kacey, meaning “vigilant” or “watchful”.

Top photo from Mandai Wildlife Group