Denver Zoo's Chilean Flamingo Chick Cuddles Up to Stuffed 'Parent'

Staff at Denver Zoo intervened when a Chilean flamingo chick was having trouble hatching by itself.

According to Denver Zoo, staff at the Avian Propagation Center made the decision to intervene after the chick struggled to break open its shell.

Footage posted to the zoo’s Facebook page shows the chick slowly emerging, before it’s given some water.

Staff used a stuffed toy flamingo to act as a “little parent” while the chick recovered in an incubator.

In June, the zoo said that a same-sex flamingo couple at the zoo had been together for several years and could act as surrogate parents if needed. Credit: Denver Zoo via Storyful