Khon Kaen Zoo has introduced new members after Greater Flamingo laid eggs and successfully hatched 5 chicks, continuing its success in wildlife breeding.
At 11:00 a.m. on 1 September 2026 at Khon Kaen Zoo, Mrs. Tipawadee Kittikhun, the zoo director, said Khon Kaen Zoo has once again succeeded in wildlife breeding after the Greater Flamingo laid eggs and hatched 5 chicks. The chicks hatched gradually between 8 and 18 August 2026. This achievement reflects the zoo's capability in animal care and effective wildlife breeding promotion.
The 5 Greater Flamingo chicks are under close care by veterinarians and animal caretakers. Monitoring shows the chicks are healthy with natural development. Notably, the chicks began leaving the nest and joining the flock at about 7 days old, attracting interest from visitors to Khon Kaen Zoo.
Currently, Khon Kaen Zoo has 22 Greater Flamingos: 9 males, 11 females, and 2 of unknown sex. Adding the 5 new chicks brings the total to 27. The zoo previously succeeded in breeding flamingos last year, when 2 chicks hatched.
The zoo director added that this breeding success results from the attentive care of veterinarians and animal caretakers, focusing on health, behavior, and environment. They emphasize enabling animals to live and display natural behaviors appropriately, which is vital to animal welfare and conservation at Khon Kaen Zoo.
Hatching 5 healthy Greater Flamingo chicks is a proud achievement for Khon Kaen Zoo and the Zoological Park Organization of Thailand. It marks an important step in wildlife breeding development, which not only increases animal populations in the zoo but also allows children, youth, and the public to closely learn about animal life cycles and behavior, raising awareness about breeding and conservation to enhance biodiversity.
The Greater Flamingo is a water bird distinguished by its large body, long legs and neck, and light to reddish-pink feathers, with a uniquely curved beak. Newly hatched chicks have soft grayish-white down, straight beaks, and pink-gray legs. Adults weigh about 2–4 kilograms, with males noticeably larger than females, and have an average lifespan of around 30 years.
Their main diet includes shrimp larvae, plankton, and certain algae. Greater Flamingos build cone-shaped nests about 30–50 cm tall and 30–40 cm wide from sand mixed with clay, with a small depression on top for the egg. They nest colonially, with many nests close together to provide safety and stimulate breeding behavior.
During each breeding season, they usually lay one egg, which incubates for about 28–32 days. Both parents take turns incubating and guarding the nest. Their natural range includes southern Africa, Angola, Tanzania, Madagascar, India, and Indonesia. They begin breeding at about 6 years old, typically in winter, choosing shallow water or mudflats suitable for nest building.
Visitors can see the 5 adorable Greater Flamingo chicks at the flamingo exhibit at Khon Kaen Zoo, located in Khao Suan Kwang District, Khon Kaen Province. The exhibit is open daily from 08:30 to 16:30 for visitors to observe the new members’ development, learn about flamingo behavior and other wildlife, all within a conservation-focused tourism environment that highlights life cycles, flocking behavior, and natural chick care.