Exotic birds saved from brink of extinction at Philadelphia Zoo

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (WPVI) -- Toni Flowers raises rare bird hatchlings like her own children.

"They're part of the system," she said. "They're part of making sure that we have the plants and the trees and all those things that we need to keep us alive."

Flowers is the lead keeper in the McNeil Avian Center, where she aids in one of the many conservation efforts pioneered within the Philadelphia Zoo.

Scurrying inside the exhibit is the Guam Rail, only the second bird in history to come back from declared extinction.

Along with the Guam Kingfisher, this bird will hopefully be reintroduced to the native island from which it came.

Ian Gereg, the Vice President of Animal Well-Being, says the zoo is also responsible for conserving species such as the Rodrigues Fruit Bats and Golden Lion Tamarins.

"I think it's important that we continue to investigate all the ways that we can help not only through education and conservation in zoos, but also how we can make a difference in the wild as well," he said.

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