FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO)  — The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is celebrating a historic first: the successful hatching of a wattled crane chick.

The chick hatched Aug. 29 to mother Starling, 8, and father Hannibal, 23, according to zoo officials. It is the first wattled crane chick to hatch at the zoo. The sex and name will be announced later.

“For the first time in Fort Wayne Zoo history, we have a wattled crane chick in our care,” said Rick Schuiteman, the zoo’s executive director and CEO. “This is a tremendous win, and I am incredibly proud of our Animal Care & Health Teams for all of their dedication towards caring for this vulnerable species.”

The zoo participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Wattled Crane Species Survival Plan, which helps preserve genetic diversity and long-term sustainability for the species. Wattled cranes are considered vulnerable in the wild.

Zoo staff said Starling and Hannibal have been attentive first-time parents, and the chick is already foraging for food in its habitat. Visitors may spot the young bird near the end of the zoo’s African Journey exhibit, though staff cautioned it may be hard to see as it blends into tall grasses.

Wattled cranes typically mature quickly, with most beginning to fledge at about four months old.