Four times a day, Thai conservationist Watchiradol Phangpanya puts on a black, long-sleeved shirt, red gloves, and a red balaclava, hoping to imitate an endangered red-headed vulture feeding its baby.
The pinkish chick, covered in white fuzz that will turn into black feathers as it grows, is the first red-headed, or Asian king vulture, to be bred in Asia and only the second in the world.
"It's necessary ... to disguise ourselves as a bird, thereby leading them to see us as closest to what their parents would look like," Watchiradol said, adding that it's the best chance to develop the bird's natural instincts. "Is there enough nutrition in its food? Or is it receiving too much? At every moment, worries will persist," he said.
After nearly two decades of trying to increase the red-headed vulture population, the zoo is starting to see results, with another egg being incubated by its parents in conservation. The conservation team hopes it can create a large enough population for eventual release.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
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