Extinct species hatches at UK zoo

From little things big things grow – and these two little hatchlings have to help regrow a whole species.

Chester Zoo in the UK has welcomed two baby Socorro doves, a species which has been declared extinct in the wild.

Two chicks of an "extinct" species have hatched at a UK zoo. (Chester Zoo)

The dove, native to Socorro Island, 640km off the west coast of Mexico, disappeared from the wild in 1972 after the introduction of sheep and predators such as cats.

Fewer than 200 of the doves exist in zoos around the world.

The Socorro doves were raised by foster parents. (Chester Zoo)

These chicks were hatched on November 7 and raised by a pair of barbary doves, as adult Socorros aren't great at incubating eggs and raising chicks, the zoo said in a release.

Zoos in Europe are working to re-establish the dove in the wild, but hopefully they aren't putting too much pressure on these newborns.