Five endangered secretarybird chicks have hatched at Chester Zoo for the first time in its 95-year history.

Chester Zoo is one of only a handful of UK zoos caring for secretarybirds. Across the European conservation breeding programme there are just 79 birds, with only three other chicks hatching elsewhere in the last year.

The chicks hatched to parents John and Jolene, who arrived at the zoo as part of coordinated international efforts to safeguard the future of one of Africa's rarest birds of prey.

The landmark breeding success is being hailed as a major breakthrough for the endangered species and could help improve conservation efforts across Europe.

Keepers say years of work to better understand the birds' breeding behaviour and refine their care led to the successful hatching.

Jamie Cartwright-Stock, bird keeper at Chester Zoo, said: "This is the first time secretarybirds have ever bred at Chester Zoo in our 95-year history.

"Seeing five healthy chicks hatch in such a short space of time is an incredible achievement for everyone involved.

"We've spent a considerable amount of time learning everything we can about their courtship behaviours, breeding biology and exactly what conditions they need to reproduce successfully. It really feels like we've reached a major breakthrough."

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Secretarybirds are among the world's most unusual birds of prey. Unlike eagles and hawks, they hunt on foot, striding across African grasslands on long legs in search of prey, including venomous snakes.

The species has suffered a dramatic decline as grassland habitat has been lost to agriculture and urban development.

Fewer than 6,700 secretarybirds are now thought to remain in the wild, and the species is listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Andrew Owen, Head of Birds at Chester Zoo, added: "Every chick hatched in conservation zoos is becoming increasingly important for the future of this remarkable species.

"By monitoring and sharing everything we learn about these chicks, we can help improve breeding success across the entire safety-net population in zoos."

The breeding success comes a year after Chester Zoo opened its Heart of Africa habitat, home to more than 50 threatened African species and part of the zoo's wider conservation work across the continent.