Wildlife: Flamingo chick adopted by new parents after being abandoned

A flamingo chick has been welcomed with open wings at Whipsnade Zoo

A fluffy chick has been adopted into a new flamingo family at the UK's largest zoo.

Florence and Freddie, took the youngster under their wing after it was abandoned as an egg.

It spent its first month in an incubator before being transferred to the flamingo nest where it eventually hatched.

Zoo keepers at Whipsnade Zoo say they are still waiting to find out whether the hatchling is male or female but are delighted that its becoming more confident day by day.

Challenges facing flamingos

Flamingos live on wetlands

American flamingos aren't currently at risk in the wild but their main threat is the same for many other species living in important wetland environments - habitat destruction, rising sea levels and water pollution.

ZSL, the charity behind Whipsnade Zoo is also working to restore these wetlands to help maintain these ecosystems for future flamingo generations.

The fluffy flamingo won't develop its iconic pink feathers until its around a year old

Adoptive parents, Florence and Freddie, are doing their fair share of the work to look after the little one.

Whipsnade Zoo birdkeeper Emily Merrick-White said: "The chick is being fed a bright red 'crop milk', by both parents - this unusually coloured nutritious 'milk' is made in the linings of their digestive tracts, and contains fat, protein and blood cells."

She went on to say how important it is that they step in when an American flamingo egg is abandoned by its parents:

"Left alone the eggs are at risk of predators. By incubating the eggs in our specialised bird nursery, we can make sure the chicks have the best chance of survival and ensure that Whipsnade Zoo has a healthy and strong flock of flamingos," she said.