JABIRU CHICKS LEAVE STEVE IN A FLAP AT ZOO

News Source: Sunshine Coast Daily, page 8, Wednesday 6 th October, 2004
By: Megan Everitt and Frank Wilkie

“World-first’ JJ now calls Beerwah home

Crocodile guru Steve Irwin is in right flap as two famous Port Douglas-born jabiru chicks have spread their wings and made a new home at his Zoo.

The world’s first black necked storks born in captivity left the Rainforest Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary in Port Douglas and arrived at Beewah’s Australia Zoo.

The world watched in June 2003 when JJ became the first jabiru born in captivity.

His parents, James and Jab, topped that feat in June this year when four chicks hatched into the world 36-hours apart.

They were the world’s first multiple birth in captivity.

Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary general manager Doug Ryan said it fulfilled a promise made to Mr Irwin in 1995 when he loaned James to start the captive breeding of jabirus. Now JJ, with his younger sibling – the smallest of the chicks who had to be hand reared have relocated.

One-year-old JJ has been moved to the Zoo’s wetland area, while the 12-week-old chick is under the watchful eye of head bird trainer Paul Manger.

Already the youngster stands just over one metre tall, and was rapt to see some new friends after the journey from Port Douglas.

Yet to be named and believed to be a female, Mr Mander plans to train the people-friendly jabiru to become involved with flying into launch Zoo demonstrations.

“Social training will be the biggest part, flying and everything else come naturally,” he said. “Not a great deal is known about them. It has never really been documented.”

Australia Zoo curator Kelsey Mostyn said the young jabiru had to be hand raised because there were concerns for its survival, as the weakest of the four chicks.

There are hopes the duo could be used for breeding with others.

Click here to find out more about the Steve Irwin Conservation Foundation