Baby owl gifted to north Wales zoo first of its species to come to UK

A baby owl due to arrive in north Wales on Saturday will be the first of its species to ever come to the UK.

The Pel's Fishing Owl chick has been gifted to The Owls Trust by an Italian conservation centre - the first place to breed the species in captivity.

Pel's Fishing Owls are common in areas of Africa but The Owls Trust said it is important to have a "healthy population in captivity" in case "we ever need to replace declining populations."

The new owl will be on display in Llandudno at The Owls Trust zoo. This is the first time the species will be on public display.

The bird is due to arrive at the Welsh zoo on Saturday 22.

Enrico Albertini, from the Centro Monticello Conservation Centre in Italy, has given the owl to the charity so that it can be used in their education programme.

This species are found in Africa and adults are brown and cream in colour.

Owls are often at the top of the food chain all over the world. The Owls Trust said that even "the loss of just one species would have a dramatic effect on its environment and a detrimental effect on all around it."

The Owls Trust are a charity and zoo which rescue and rehabilitate the birds of prey.