A snowy owl chick hatched at the Woodland Park Zoo on June 13. The chick marks the first offspring between the mom, estimated to be 22 years old, and the father, 14 years old. The gender of the chick has not been determined.

The parents and chick live in the zoo's Northern Trail exhibit.

“At this time the chick isn’t visible to visitors because the mom is sitting on the nest and providing very good care,” said zoo Curator Dr. Jennifer Pramuk. “Our expert zookeepers are monitoring the owlet, which appears to be in good health. It’s growing very quickly, so visitors should be able to spot it in a week or two.”

In zoos, the snowy owl population experienced a dramatic decline due to West Nile virus, which is spread by infected mosquitoes to birds. Owls and hawks were especially susceptible to the virus, causing acute death. Few zoos have been successful in breeding snowy owls within recent years.

The fluffy white snowy owl is the heaviest North American owl and one of the largest in overall size. Males are nearly pure white and the female’s white plumage is highlighted with dark brown bars and spots. The snowy owl prefers open areas for its breeding range, including tundra and grasslands. During winter it seeks treeless habitat to the south, including prairies, marshes or shorelines.

Although not a threat to the species, snowy owls die from flying into utility lines, wire fences, automobiles, airplanes (at airports) and other human structures. Some owls are even killed by hunters; changes in the arctic climate also may be a looming threat for this species. Owls in general are in decline because of habitat loss, introduced disease and poisoning from improperly used rodent poison.

Visitors can discover birds of prey at the zoo’s raptor flight program and keeper talks offered throughout the summer. Visit www.zoo.org for a complete schedule of fun summer activities.

Zoo summer hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. Admission ranges from free to $17.50 per person. Visit www.zoo.org for more information.