TEHRAN — A grey crowned crane, a rare species which is on the verge of extinction, hatched on Wednesday at Tehran’s Birds Garden, Tasnim news agency reported.

A special birthday ceremony was held on this occasion at the garden with a number of environmentalists and officials in attendance.

The little birdie is now living with its parents in the tropical quarantine section of the garden and is being well taken care of.

The grey crowned crane is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although it nests in somewhat wetter habitats. They can also be found in marshes, cultivated lands and grassy flatlands near rivers and lakes in Uganda and Kenya and as far south as South Africa.

The bird lives up to age 40 but unfortunately due to the effects of climate change the drying up lakes and lagoons it is on the brink of extinction.

MQ/MG