![The chick hatched on July 23. [Akron Zoo]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6d625fc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/980x551+0+0/resize/840x472!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fimages%2Fnews%2Fnpr%2F2021%2F08%2Fcondor%20chick%20copy.jpg)
The Akron Zoo's Andean condors Grock and Carletta are now parents to a male Andean condor chick.
The chick hatched on Friday, July 23 and is doing well, according to a zoo press release.
Andean condors are listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The species has a low reproductive rate, and also faces threats from human conflict and invasive species.
These condors are native to the Andes Mountains in South America and are the largest flying bird in the world. They weigh in around 20 to 30 pounds and measure 4 feet tall. An adult condor's wingspan is 10 to 12 feet wide.
This is the first Andean condor chick in history hatched at the Akron Zoo. The egg was incubated before hatching as Grock and Carletta have a history of accidentally crushing eggs.
The chick will continue to be hand-raised in the zoo's animal hospital by animal and vet care teams, and as the chick gets older, staff will use a condor hand puppet for feedings and social interactions.
The chick was hatched through a breeding recommendation from the Andean Condor Species Survival Plan, a scientifically managed breeding program that promotes genetic diversity in endangered species.
The Andean Condor SSP is one of 46 SSPs that the Akron Zoo participates in as an accredited facility through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
The chick is unable to make a public debut at this time, but parents Grock and Carletta will be in the zoo's condor habitat daily.
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