Fiesta is an adorable East African Crowned Crane chick growing up at Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park in Litchfield Park, Arizona. One of Fiesta’s handlers’ daily tasks is to provide “enrichment walks.” Long-legged birds need regular exercise to develop muscle tone and strengthen their legs. The walks three or four times a day allow Fiesta to explore while getting stronger.
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Seeing a zookeeper slowly walking backward may look odd, but they must watch Fiesta during her enrichment walks. Fiesta is also on a special diet to ensure proper growth. She receives daily checkups for weight, allowing zoo personnel to monitor her legs, toes, and overall appearance. The goal is to ensure that little Fiesta thrives throughout this early growth period.
As you watch little Fiesta during the enrichment walk, the tiny, fragile-looking chick is non-descript, yellow, and fuzzy. They are not tremendously handsome and appear gangly, but don’t let that fool you. This tiny “ugly duckling” chick will grow into a beautiful and majestic adult crane.
The name, East African Crowned Crane, comes from the fluffy crown on its head. In the wild, these birds inhabit wetlands and grasslands. Females lay around four eggs per season. A survival trait the adult birds have is faking an injury to lure animals away from nesting areas.
Fiesta won’t be available for public viewing in their habitat for some time. Crane chicks are rare at the zoo, so the entire staff at World Wildlife Zoo is committed to nurturing the baby. They want to ensure that the little chick has an excellent “chickhood,” and daily enrichment walks are a big part of Fiesta’s care.
Please share if Fiesta gave you a smile.
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