First California Condor Chick Hatches at Los Angeles Zoo

A California condor chick hatched early today at the Los Angeles Zoo, nudging the total population of the species up to 35 a day after another condor chick hatched in San Diego, a zoo official said.

The latest chick arrived at 4:30 a.m. today and was the first to hatch at the Los Angeles Zoo, spokeswoman Cindy Richardson said.

The chick, whose gender won’t be known for about three months, is named Kareya, from the Karok Indian word for “creator of all things.”

“Kareya ate its first meal of minced mouse already, and is resting comfortably,” said zoo spokeswoman Deborah Pollack.

The 5.8-ounce “sparsely feathered, wrinkled and bald” bird emerged after a 57-day incubation and 72-hour hatching period, she said.

The Los Angeles hatching came 28 hours after a surprisingly strong chick hatched without help from keepers at the San Diego Wild Animal Park.

There were only 27 California condors known to exist when all were taken into captivity for a breeding program in 1987. Half a dozen more eggs are incubating in the captive-breeding programs in Los Angeles and San Diego.