An Australian zoo has successfully doubled the population of a critically endangered bird by swapping in a feather duster for an absentee father who abandoned his chicks just before hatching. In his place, zoo keepers in Victoria placed a feather duster on top of the eggs. “They have been snuggling up to the feather duster, pushing up into the feathers,” zoo director Glen Holland told The Guardian. CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP“Genetically speaking, they are listed as the fourth most important species worldwide, and the … most important in Australia in evolutionary distinctiveness and extinction risk," she added. “To lose such an ancient, unique species would be completely devastating.”The chicks, born to two pairs, were hatched within 24 hours of each other.

Source: Fox News March 25, 2019 17:59 UTC