Endangered Goliath heron chicks hatch at Sharjah reserve

The Wasit Wetland Centre in Sharjah is caring for three endangered Goliath heron chicks that hatched this month.

Three Goliath Heron chicks hatched at the Wasit Wetland Centre in Sharjah. Courtesy Wasit Wetland Centre

SHARJAH // Three endangered Goliath heron chicks are being nurtured at a Sharjah nature reserve.

The chicks hatched at Wasit Wetland Centre’s breeding area for endangered wildlife, on March 7, 9 and 11, about a month after the eggs were laid.

Goliath herons are the largest herons in the world and are sparsely distributed across Africa, with a small breeding population on the coast of the Arabian Peninsula, the centre said.

“To hatch three chicks and have them successfully reared by the parents is a very unusual success story,” said Hana Al Suwaidi, chairwoman of the Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas Authority which runs the centre.

The chicks are part of a breeding programme held in coordination with the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria.

Their mother came from Beekse Bergen Safari Park in the Netherlands and the father from Zoo Berlin in Germany.