On Sept. 15 the National Zoo’s kori bustard (Ardeotis kori) team received the prestigious Edward H. Bean Award from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums for its work on the long-term propagation, breeding and management of kori bustards. Kori bustards are large, terrestrial birds native to the eastern and southern regions of Africa. Their numbers have rapidly declined to habitat destruction, hunting and slow reproduction. The Zoo has been breeding kori bustards since 1997 and has hatched almost 50 kori bustard chicks. Nearly all of these offspring were transferred to other facilities in North America. Kori bustard photo by Jessie Cohen
