Of the six flamingo species in the world, four can be found in North American AZA-accredited institutions. Of the institutions that house all four species, few can say that they’ve successfully bred and reared all four species, like the Fort Worth Zoo can. That’s right – we’ve had our first greater flamingo hatchings in Zoo history! Back in April, all Zoo birds were moved behind the scenes out of an abundance of caution due to a threat from the highly pathogenic avian influenza (bird flu). The uncertain period during the precautionary lockdown seemed to be exactly what this species needed to lay fertile eggs for the first time. We call it a bird flu quarantine success story! This success will contribute to the genetic health of the North American population managed by the species survival plan. Once the chicks are old enough to join the adults, you can visit them in the African Savanna, but for now, they’re being reared behind the scenes to ensure they grow up healthy and strong.