He was stunning to look at, but due to his sheer size, he also made me nervous. I had never been close to a bird of that size before! He seemed just as interested in looking at me. His stare was very intimidating! It felt as if he was looking right through me, maybe waiting for the zookeeper to pass him a delicious treat. To this day, I still tell friends and family about Kevin and how, as someone standing only five feet two inches tall, I felt stunned to stand next to a bird who could meet my gaze at the same height.
While Kevin makes his home in the Belize Zoo, jabiru storks typically live in the swamps and wetlands of South and Central America.
Unlike Kevin, who lives in captivity, wild jabirus gather in groups to forage for their food. Near wetlands, they tend to find fish, insects, small animals and even reptiles. Because of their size, adult jabirus have no known natural predators, so surviving them isn't a concern.
While jabiru storks were once hunted for their feathers, they are under official protected status here in Belize and have recovered from their "Threatened" status since the late 1980s.
