Three newly hatched Chilean flamingos at the Denver Zoo got their first taste of adventure as zoo keepers brought them outside to explore the zoo’s Carousel Meadow.

The chicks were hatched in the zoo’s Avian Propagation Center last month between Oct. 11 and Oct. 19. They are so young that their genders aren’t yet known and they haven’t been named, said Jake Kubié, director of communications for the zoo.

“Breeding, reproducing and raising animals is a big part of what we do at the zoo to help support species,” Kubié said.

Kubié said the three chicks add to between 70 and 80 Chilean and Caribbean flamingos currently living at the zoo. While populations of Caribbean flamingos are abundant, Chilean flamingos have decreased toward endangered levels.

The zoo’s Avian Propagation Center is one of the largest in the nation, housing endangered birds in an effort to steward species conservation.

Monday’s outing was an essential step for the chicks’ development, allowing them to explore the world and enrich their minds, Kubié said

“Some exposure to new experiences is really important for them,” Kubié said. “It helps us acclimate them and it’s good exercise, too.”