First 2025 Sihek Chick Hatched in Cincinnati

[{"selector":"#anim-f604cf6e-4b1a-4c6e-b4ea-9255fd40b300","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2858f902-1de9-49c3-8a55-c09975181942","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9f233d9a-0076-4671-9010-dc9c92f034df","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e8774b0f-3ce2-42aa-a178-92a58c3d00e7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] First 2025 Sihek Chick Hatched in Cincinnati. Rahul Somvanshi

A rare, vibrant blue bird chick just hatched at Cincinnati Zoo - one of only 140 Sihek left on Earth.

[{"selector":"#anim-21f1bc05-5731-4fa1-8d7c-176c61259b70","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5d7a4b54-2bce-4e63-98d2-ab07d6104bbd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d2250fc2-39f2-430d-9319-6561cc763bba","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ccfbbb84-66b8-4e76-9fc8-1b5c494e0bcc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f41937ad-85db-4422-87b8-d7fd567cd373","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: MostlyDross (CC BY 2.0)

The Sihek vanished from Guam's forests in 1988 after brown tree snakes, accidentally introduced in the 1940s, ate nearly every bird on the island.

[{"selector":"#anim-ca1a26df-c5a9-40e3-b4de-3ee0212222b0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-915f8d1b-5a35-40cc-bd88-bd97272042d0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.7807%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f3378ce6-544d-4d85-93fb-c7fef89c28cf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d5ab8e54-2d84-49f5-a8c9-b463ef17cbd0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -111.1955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4e9496cf-caea-4c9a-97f6-d030cdf8e421","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Peter (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Without this breeding program at 25 zoos, these stunning blue birds would be completely extinct instead of just "extinct in the wild.

[{"selector":"#anim-55a23f3f-e6ee-41af-8135-78fb99166d5c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9b210490-8999-44a0-a1e9-3c93d7a99e31","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eae6f2a7-cb0f-4771-a06e-8b6021bd014a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0fa884d7-5c26-47c8-a5fb-ee6a9aae4f67","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4df7f713-73dc-4035-bc56-73f2dc4049d0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: The Cincinnati Zoo (Youtube)

Last September, nine zoo-raised Sihek were released on snake-free Palmyra Atoll - their first taste of freedom in 37 years.

[{"selector":"#anim-c8f65d3f-7f65-4c9f-a1e6-a1997f2ef583","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f78b6f8f-0abb-419b-8904-c3b4062cfda8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 195.52108%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b1bdd8d0-c0a0-4ef9-b04a-f76e59acb21d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4594e342-c0c7-473d-b963-e09b63a2ea77","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dfeaa727-f2e7-467e-8d95-4299cbc3cd2e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: The Cincinnati Zoo (Youtube)

Scientists were stunned when these captive-raised birds started building nests and laying eggs in the wild this April.

[{"selector":"#anim-3dc6f7a9-58a9-4014-bb96-d1fca1744191","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-94504ef0-08d6-4536-9ecd-d7ac3c5a4110","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b804670f-d4df-4fc4-9f07-f57a3cd23036","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-976d637b-eb1e-4e5b-b5db-fc7535abda65","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b397c65b-0373-493a-9e0e-c0028a948512","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: The Cincinnati Zoo (Youtube)

Now they're foraging, nesting and even laying eggs on their own. It's an incredible step forward," says biologist Martin Kastner.

[{"selector":"#anim-8f9bc035-81e9-46f8-91e9-40ede82fbcaf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a3fe90d4-bb56-4a89-9c69-a74afe6f4ded","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 195.52108%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-519b643a-8baa-487a-916a-4387cceb5795","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fba45ca0-4c5d-4443-9acc-816cce798783","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a0701d1e-1645-424e-898f-3020f38a4977","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: The Cincinnati Zoo (Youtube)

Three bird pairs are currently sitting on eggs at Palmyra Atoll, with a fourth pair showing promising nesting behavior.

[{"selector":"#anim-21056095-efd0-4e8a-850b-dd63f47565ab","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d1559808-3eaa-4534-9f90-72c5e4b4b75c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d4004e5c-a456-49b4-9aca-2d4e188d0572","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b1ec7ff3-87e4-4362-9f77-e0dd6d1aa9ce","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d32e7975-3b15-4887-b4ac-0a742364051d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: The Cincinnati Zoo (Youtube)

For Guam's indigenous CHamoru people, the Sihek isn't just a bird - it's a "symbol of our island's beauty" that disappeared in their lifetime.

[{"selector":"#anim-e519b3e7-abf2-4645-8f3b-cf9469010fdb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2e83a788-c701-4402-9d0b-da8a653833a0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 164.43004%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aefdaabb-4131-4235-9c7f-33a770ff61f6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5f437beb-1857-4bb4-a42b-a00c94f4f099","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f437f2c5-8852-40b7-afee-c76a328addb1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: The Cincinnati Zoo (Youtube)

The recovery faces major hurdles: these birds descend from just 29 individuals, creating genetic challenges for breeding.

[{"selector":"#anim-95ab6ae4-4c48-4446-b7de-54b0aa593fe2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b1b3ecd3-c9e2-4959-9209-918b8475d2b5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-57260631-4cb8-4821-b68f-85ac91e18069","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c1d9be48-6b1f-4668-b29f-b6cbceef63d7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-620f59a3-acce-4bda-81a7-0852d894bd1e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: The Cincinnati Zoo (Youtube)

Will the Sihek ever return to Guam? Scientists must first solve the seemingly impossible task of controlling the island's snake population.

[{"selector":"#anim-bf9c7642-64aa-4129-bac0-763163601ca7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eb88c836-b78e-4a57-bf8d-9df5688ddb4f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 196.29626%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8a2d2e44-9020-4206-bf89-0125904b88b4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a6ebaa3b-9c6b-4f4b-98ad-c3420755d0e6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9553162a-2c9c-44e1-8c18-572d6e87f48f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: MostlyDross (CC BY 2.0)

[{"selector":"#anim-566c4dd4-4460-4c05-bb19-82a5885bc7df","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-39892375-b90f-4139-9c3c-f7524ddffaa3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a1930b48-5a2c-44d9-a6f2-49190025c06e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-82cd10a5-c403-44ef-8ad2-026a14ee4ca2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8959d614-8220-48af-9fb6-f0447b42703f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Golden Gate Park's Vulture Conservation and Cultural Heritage Boost Tourism Learn more