National Aviary's Rare Andean Condor Chick Dies

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The National Aviary says their newly-hatched Andean Condor chick has died.

The rare chick hatched last Friday to the Aviary's condor pair, Lianni and Lurch, and had been on display through the facility's live web cam.

But, the Aviary now says they've taken the camera down following the sad news.

According to the Aviary, the first 48 hours for the chick are absolutely critical. However, they noticed the chick's father, Lurch, exhibiting some "abnormal parenting behavior," which lead to the discovery the baby had died.

In a statement, the Aviary says, "The first 48 hours after hatching are a critical time as both parents and chicks establish their instinctual care behaviors and routines. Our animal care and veterinary teams have been monitoring the parents and the chick very closely throughout this time. Both parents and the chick were exhibiting normal behaviors and had optimal conditions for success. This outcome was very unfortunate and unpredictable but is not uncommon during this delicate stage."

It was the first egg produced by Lianni and Lurch, but the Aviary says they remain hopeful the pair will produce more eggs in the future.

"The entire staff of the National Aviary is deeply saddened, but we remain hopeful for the future of our condor breeding program. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we mourn this loss," the statement goes on to read.