Chester Zoo welcomes critically endangered vultures named after Traitors stars
Claudia and Alan are the zoo's first breeding pair of hooded vultures
Two critically endangered hooded vultures have arrived at Chester Zoo, where conservationists are hoping the newly bonded pair will go on to produce chicks to help protect the species from extinction.
The vultures have been named Claudia and Alan, after Traitors stars Claudia Winkleman and Alan Carr.
They are the first breeding pair of hooded vultures to ever live at the Cheshire zoo.
The pair have passed their vet check and have now settled into their home, which they share with a pair of white-headed vultures.
Keepers say the newly arrived birds already have a strong bond, and hope their relationship will eventually lead to a new generation of young vultures as part of a Europe-wide conservation breeding programme.
Named after Traitors stars
Bird Keeper Heather-Anne Pedley said: "Alan and Claudia came to us from the Horstmann Trust, a conservation breeding centre for vultures, where they are an established breeding pair. We named them after Traitors stars Alan Carr and Claudia Winkleman, because what better way to reflect how funny and engaging they are than to name them after two national treasures?
"Nobody prepared me for how much I would fall in love with them, their antics and characters. They look like they've just put a hood up, and they have this beautiful blue ring around their eyes, like natural eyeliner."
Ms Pedley said hooded vulture couples are monogamous, and will preen each other, gently touch each other's bills and co-build nests.
She said: "This pair are real love birds, and we are hopeful they'll go on to breed. Any youngsters they go on to have will become part of a European conservation breeding programme, helping to create an insurance population for this incredibly rare species.
"They're fascinating birds, very active, clever and interested in their environment - and they don't wait their turn at feeding time."
Nature's clean-up crew
Hooded vultures have wingspans of up to 180cm, and traditionally had a wide range across west, central and southern Africa, where they soar over the land looking for carcasses to feed on.
The birds, which have dark brown feathers on their body, a buff "hood" and a distinctive bald face and throat, are known as "nature's clean-up crew".
Ms Pedley said: "In the wild, vultures help prevent zoonotic diseases - illnesses that can spread between species - because their stomach acid is so strong they can eat decaying meat that other animals would not be able to digest. This helps prevent the spread of diseases like anthrax and botulism into the soil."
Why hooded vultures are under threat
Despite their role across different ecosystems, vulture numbers are dropping, and hooded vultures are now classified as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.
The decline has been driven by accidental and deliberate poisoning, and demand for vulture body parts and eggs for use in traditional medicine and rituals, according to the zoo. There is no scientific evidence to support this use.
Power lines and other tall structures also pose a threat, as vultures tend to scan the ground for food rather than looking ahead, which can lead to mid-air collisions. They can also be electrocuted if they land on uninsulated power lines.
Any offspring from Claudia and Alan will become part of a Europe-wide breeding programme designed to support an insurance population of hooded vultures.