RESCUED WHOOPER SWANS GIVE BIRTH

[Anchor Lead]

A pair of whooper swans that had been kept at a zoo in Gyeonggi-do Province after being shot and wounded have recently given birth to their young. The birds have spent 24 years int he zoo and are already 70 years old in human years.

[Pkg]

A whooper swan chick swims in the water with its mother. Named Mio, it was born late last month. Its parents have lived in this zoo for 24 years, but it's their first breeding.

[Soundbite] LEE WOO-IN(VISITOR) : "It's good to see them. It makes me believe that these birds will bring good luck to people amid the pandemic."

When the pair was rescued in 1996 in Namyangju, both birds were severely wounded. The male swan was wounded in its right wing, and it is still unable to fly. The birds' age is equivalent to 70 human years. But despite their injuries and advanced age, they were finally able to have their first chick. Whooper swans are a natural asset in Korea and an endangered species designated by the Ministry of Environment. The zookeepers had done their best since late last year to create the best conditions for the swans' breeding and minimize outside contact with the birds. The chick's name, "Mio," means "beautiful duck."

[Soundbite] LEE JI-YEON(ZOOKEEPER) : "The chick eats well and swims with its mother. It can also walk well. It's growing healthily."

The zoo will choose the place for the swan family to live after examining the chick's health condition.