Berlin Zoo

Male pelican couple adopts chick

At Berlin Zoo, a male pelican couple has adopted a chick (pictured).

(Bild: glomex, Krone KREATIV)

At Berlin Zoo, a male pelican couple has adopted a chick that was born on January 23 (see video above). The egg had fallen out of the nest and was no longer being cared for by its parents. It was initially placed in an incubator.

Now "Charlie Brown" and "Halle" are looking after the spot-billed pelican chick, as a spokeswoman for the zoo announced on Monday. The male marine pelican couple had wanted to breed anyway and had already had a dummy egg laid in their nest. This was exchanged for the fertilized egg. The couple then successfully hatched the chick, which did not yet have a name.

The chick was born on January 23.

(Bild: glomex, Krone KREATIV)

"The couple had already bred in previous years, but separately with female marine pelicans. This season is the first time that these two have come together as a same-sex pair," said the spokesperson.

Marine pelicans are very social
According to the information provided, marine pelicans are very social birds that build a nest from various materials such as feathers or grasses during the breeding season. Young animals hatch after around 30 days and are fed by both parents.