'They live in countries in central and eastern Africa - like Uganda, Zambia, Tanzania - which are prone to extended periods of drought, so there is a huge intensity on animals and people who are having to compete for the same environment. 'Due to agricultural practices - such as pouring chemicals into rivers, intensive farming and of course climate change, shoebills are running out of places to go. 'We are talking about a bird which is very much under threat. He hopes the interest in Abou will raise awareness of the threats these species are facing around the world. He said, 'In reality, I've never been in a position to see these amazing birds in the wild.' Gibson said he has been waiting 40 years for the 'amazing moment' when he finally got to see 'a shoebill in the feather.' 'That would just be the most wonderful thing.'Ībou, who is 4 feet tall and weighs 12 pounds, has a wing span of 8 feet and one of the largest and most unusual bills in the bird world.Īlso known as whale heads, shoebills are at home in the swamps and marsh lands of East Africa, where they hunt fish and small invertebrates. 'So, the idea is if we can keep her well and she thrives, when a male does become available, then he will also come and join us at Exmoor Zoo. 'We accepted Abou as part of the European breeding program where there are more boys than girls. 'The issue is that there are only 3,000 to 5,000 shoebills left in the wild - and that is not a big figure at all. 'There has been a huge amount of interest in Abou - and rightly so, she is magnificent to behold,' he said. Matthew Newby, SWNS/Zengerĭerek Gibson, curator at Exmoor Zoo, says the team is 'delighted' to welcome their newest member of the family.

She greets her keepers at the Exmoor Zoo in Devon, England, with displays of bowing and spreading her wings, a common courtship ritual. Abou, 14 years old, was born and bred inside Pairi Daiza Zoo in Belgium.

Shoebill stork is a real dinosaur