From WKYC
The Akron Zoo has welcomed two new snowy owl chicks as part of an effort to grow the population of the vulnerable species.
The owlets, which hatched June 10, belong to a species deemed vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List. The pair is the result of the zoo's participation in the Snowy Owl Survival Plan, an effort to ensure genetic diversity in species across zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Staff confirmed the owlets are doing well under the care of parents Frost and Cirrus, the zoo's adult snowy owl pair. The hatchlings are the fifth and sixth snowy owlets born at the Akron Zoo. Frost and Cirrus previously welcomed three chicks in 2023 and another in 2024.
The chicks and their parents are staying in private bedrooms inside the zoo's Garden View Place building for now, where staff says they will be left undisturbed. Updates are expected to be shared on the Akron Zoo's social media channels.
From the zoo's socials:
Your Akron Zoo recently welcomed two snowy owl chicks! The owlets hatched on June 10 and are doing well under the care of their parents, our adult snowy owl pair, Frost and Cirrus.
The owlets and their parents are currently living in the private bedrooms in the zoo’s Garden View Place building. The sex of the owlets are unknown at this time, and zoo staff are hands off. Snowy owls are listed as vulnerable to extinction by IUCN Red List, with populations declining due to human conflict and climate change. The Akron Zoo participates in the Snowy Owl Species Survival Plan (SSP), a breeding plan that works to ensure genetic diversity in species across zoos that are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, like the Akron Zoo.
This is the fifth and sixth snowy owlets hatched at the Akron Zoo. Frost and Cirrus previously welcomed three chicks in 2023 and one in 2024. The snowy owl family will remain in a private habitat for now. We will share updates on its social media.
