A flock of 11 American or Caribbean flamingos have "migrated" to their new home in the Island Life exhibit at the Oklahoma City Zoo.

During the walk, Animal care staff lined up along a route on the main Zoo public walkway to help direct the flamingos as they "strolled" into to their new dwellings.

It is the first time that the flamingos will join the Zoo's existing flock. Before hatching in July, the flamingo eggs were collected at a former racetrack in Florida as part of a conservation program administered by the Miami Metrozoo and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The eggs add unrelated birds into our Zoo's flock, bringing genetic diversity from the wild without depleting wild birds. This also allows for larger flock numbers, which will increase the potential for successful reproduction.

This conservation migration began July 7, 2007 when twenty eggs were transported from Florida in special containers and escorted by Oklahoma City Zoo Bird Curator Darcy Henthorn and animal keeper, Nadine Varner. Since then, Zoo staff have worked numerous hours hand-raising the chicks.

Why the move now? The chicks are age-appropriate to be introduced to their new flock and all are weaned and eating on their own. This will be the first time that Zoo guests will be able to see the chicks out and about. They can be viewed daily at the flamingo habitat located in the Zoo's Island Life adventure.