India, Oct. 21 -- A rare, bright green Southern cassowary egg has ended a 34-year drought at Australia's Adelaide Zoo. Glowing like a neon jewel, its striking fluorescent shade stems from the natural pigment biliverdin.

The first cassowary chick hatched at Adelaide Zoo in 1968, and six more chicks were born in 1992. However, after that, there were no eggs from this large, flightless bird, and the drought continued for 34 years. Until Team Supervisor Birds and Free Flight, Erin, discovered the first egg. The egg belongs to 10-year-old Southern cassowary Martina and 13-year-old male cassowary Jeffrey, who were paired up by the zoo.

"This is really exciting news for us because it has been 34 years since we've had successful cassowary chick...