Charlie, the Wild Animal Park's famous North African ground hornbill, was the father of the first chicks of his species to hatch in the U.S.—at the ripe old age of more than 22! Here, Carmi Penny, lead keeper at the Wild Animal Park, shows the award certificate to one of Charlie's offspring, whose successful hatching resulted in the award.

The first red-ruffed lemur born at the San Diego Zoo—and the first one ever born at a zoo in the United States—arrived in April 1973. He had a rough start, unfortunately, rejected by his mother and left on the floor of the outdoor enclosure. But keepers rescued him in time and took him to the Children's Zoo nursery to be hand raised, where he did fine with a little TLC.

Good News in Small Packages

Two arrivals of special significance also brought recognition: the first birth of red ruffed lemurs in the United States, and the first successful hatching of North African ground hornbills in the United States, for which the Zoological Society received a Edward H. Bean award for significant reproduction from the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (AAZPA).

1973

New Era 1967 - 1976