San Francisco’s California Academy of Sciences welcomes baby African turaco chick

By: Eliot Pierce

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The California Academy of Sciences is celebrating the arrival of a red-crested turaco chick to its Osher Rainforest.

As part of the Academy’s holiday programming, the chick joins a variety of other newborn animals on show this month, including as yaks, camels, and reindeer.

The first African bird species to live in the dome are red-crested turacos (Tauraco erythrolophus), which are indigenous to the woods of western Angola. A female and a male named Scarlet and Skittles are also included in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, a scheme designed to preserve genetic variation among populations under human care.

The chick, who is only a few weeks old, has dark, fluffy newborn feathers. The fledgling bird, which is being cared for by the Animal Health and Care Team at the Steinhart Aquarium, is doing well and will soon grow the species’ distinctive rainbow-colored feathers.

The chick, which is presently on display at the California Academy of Sciences’ Osher Rainforest, was born to red-crested turaco parents Scarlet and Skittles.

The Academy’s collection of young animals continues this holiday season. View the baby camels till December 19 and then come back to see the baby yaks from December 20 to January 5. Visit the Cal Academy website for tickets and other information.

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